My Mass Effect Story
by USMilitary1941
Summary: My version of Mass Effect, plan on doing all three games, FemShep and Ash romance, rated M for sexual content, language and violence.vEverything belongs to Bioware, this will be on hiatus until I can actually get my chapters back since I lost my flash drive but I will continue once I get my new computer,also thinking about adding Tali into the mix. So sorry for no new updates.
1. Chapter 1

**I have to give credit Freshman19 for giving me the idea for behind this story. I have I have offended him in anyway, I am truly and rightfully sorry.**

* * *

Losing someone in combat is part of the job as Commander Alice Shepard knew from her reputation on Torfan where she sent multiple troops to attack a batarian stronghold. That does not mean it ever got any easier. "Butcher of Torfan" most troops called her. Some soldiers looked up to her, others thought she was ruthless due to the amount of casualties from Torfan and the slaughtering of surrending Batarians. One of those who did look up to her was Corporal Richard L. Jenkins.

"Damn it" Shepard cursed under her breath as she lost another soldier to a recon drone.

"Tore right through his shields. He never had a chance." Lieutenant Kaiden Alenko said as he closed Jenkins' eyes. Kaiden was a good friend and an excellent soldier. Shepard and Captain Anderson both thought highly of him due to his numerous accomadations. Unlike some Alliance troops, Alenko was a biotic.

"We will arrange for him to have a proper burial." Shepard said with a grimace.

"Aye, aye ma'am." Alenko said as he focused back on the mission.

Fighting through more synthetics, Shepard and Alenko saw another soldier who was getting chased down by drones, the same ones they saw gun down Jenkins. One beam had hit the soldier and she fell to the ground only to quick draw her pistol and quickly gun them down. Just as she saw that two synthetic troops placed a soldier on a spike and killed him instantly. Shepard and Alenko both sprung into action gunning down the synthetics.

"Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212. You the one in charge here ma'am." Williams said as her saviors had arrived.

"I'm Commander Alice Shepard of the Normandy and this is Lieutenant Kaiden Alenko. Are you okay are you hurt?" Shepard asked Williams .

"I'm fine ma'am" Ash said with a smile. "I'm the one left from my platoon."

"Any idea the enemy we're facing?" Shepard asked looking around to make sure no one snuck up on them.

"Now you may think I'm crazy but I think they're geth."

"The geth haven't been seen outside the Veil in over 300 years. Why are they here now?" Kaiden asked with a quizzical expression on his face.

"They might be here for the beacon the scientists recovered." Ashley said pointing to the digsite.

"Can you take us there?"

"Yes ma'am. Time for some payback." Ash said with evil smirk on her face.

After fighting through more geth, the group finally reached the digsite. "Where is it?" Shepard asked in general with a hint of frustration.

"It was here earlier, it must have been moved." Ash said carefully trying not to frustrate the Commander.

"By who, our side or the geth?" Kaiden asked Ash who too was frustrated.

Over the radio was the turian spectre Nihlus Kyrik who was assigned by the council on the Normandy. "I'm at the spaceport Shepard. I'll wait for you here."

"Roger that." Shepard quickly said. "Williams can you get us to the spaceport?"

"Yes ma'am, it's just over that hill." Williams said as they moved out toward the spaceport.

* * *

"Saren?" Nihlus asked as he saw his former mentor who was also a spectre.

"Nihlus." Saren said without turning around.

"This isn't your mission Saren. What are you doing here?"

"The council thought you needed some help on this one." Saren said as he walked by Nihlus and drew his pistol when Nihlus wasn't looking.

"This is bad Saren, I wasn't expecting the geth." Nihlus said letting his guard down.

"It's all under control." Saren assured Nihlus as he put the pistol to his head and pulled the trigger sending Nihlus to his death.

* * *

There was a gunshot in the distance and the ground started shaking. "What is that?" Kaiden said pointing over the horizon with a shocked face.

"That's a ship. Look at the size of that thing." Ashley said as the ship blasted away in the distance.

"We got Geth below us!" Kaiden yelled as the Geth were now aware of their presence.

"Roger that! Open Fire!" Shepard ordered as her squad light up the geth. They were heavily outnumbered by the geth but still Shepard and her team prevailed. The three broke off and made sure they were dead. "All clear over here." Shepard said looking over at Kaiden.

"Same here. Ash?" Kaiden asked as he and Shepard were both looking around trying to find Williams. Just as quickly they heard gunfire.

"DIE! That's what you get you fucks for killing my squad!" Ash was screaming and kept putting rounds into the already dead geth with tears coming down her face.

"Ash! Calm down!" Shepard said pulling her away from the corpse that was riddled with bullet holes. "Ash. What's wrong?" Shepard asked making sure she was fine but heard no answer. "Ash! Snap out of it." Finally Ash caught Shepard's attention and practically broke into tears.

"Goddamn it!" Ashley said as she threw herself into the Commander's arms. "I'm sorry Commander."

"It's alright Williams. It's alright." Shepard said making sure Williams was stable enough to finish the mission. "You'll be fine. Listen…" Shepard took Ash's hand and looked her straight in the eye and said "It's going to be alright. I know what you're going through with losing troops in combat. But you absolutely cannot let it take control of you or it's going to take control of you."

"I'm just…"

"Angry, pissed off, and wanting revenge. I get it. You want revenge but think about it. Is killing every geth going to bring them back?" There was silence for a few moments. Shepard looked at Kaiden who was leaning on a wall watching this unfold.

"No… I guess not. You're right killing them won't bring them I'm back and I'm sorry for this." Ash said wiping the tears from her face.

"It's alright, you have nothing to be sorry for and I understand your frustration." Shepard assured Ashley as she said that. "Are you going to be able to finish the mission?"

Ash hesitated for a moment but ultimately assured Shepard that she was going to finish the mission.

"Alright, now let's get you on your feet." Shepard said and signaled Kaiden to get Ash's rifle. "Just remember this you can talk to me about anything. My doors always open. For now think happy thoughts."

Wiping the remaining tears from her face, Ash stood up from the crate they were sitting on and got back to the task at hand. They climbed the stairs and found turian blood, Shepard feared the worst. They reached the top of the stairs and found Nihlus' body in a pool of blood. Shepard's heart sank.

"Commander, its Nihlus." Kaiden said grimly as he leaned over to check the turian's body.

"A turian? You know him?" Ash asked both the Commander and Kaiden.

Shepard just nodded in agreement with Kaiden as something moved behind the crates. As they were trained, each pulled a weapon over to the area of the sound.

"Don't shoot. Don't shoot. I'm one of you, I'm human." The voice cowardly said and appeared from behind the boxes.

"Sneaking up like that almost got you killed!" Shepard yelled at him in frustration. "What are you doing behind those boxes?"

"I...I... was hiding from those things when the attack hit." The man said with a little stutter in his voice.

"What's your name?" Shepard asked as she signaled Ash and Kaiden to holster their weapons. "How come you're the only one hiding over there?"

"My name's Powell. I usually take a nap back here when I'm not on shift." Powell said still scared shitless.

"So you were being a coward while those out there were being slaughtered?" Ash screamed at Powell.

"Let it go Ash." the Commander said looking at Ash.

"You're lucky the Commander's here Powell." Ash said with a pissed off expression.

"I did see who shot that turian though if that helps." Powell nervously said

"Well? I'm waiting." Shepard looking with a glance said.

"There was another turain who your friend called Saren. It seems they knew each other because your friend let his guard down." Powell was careful about what he saying. "Saren pulled out his pistol and shot right in the back of the head in cold blood."

"Do you know where he was headed?" Kaiden asked

"He seemed to be headed for the other side of the spaceport. He took the tram over there." Powell was still talking nervously.

"Alright thanks for your help Powell. Williams, Alenko, move out."

"Yes ma'am." Both answered in unison. The three of them encountered geth on the their way to the front of the tram. During the fight Shepard looked over at Williams to make sure she was stable enough to handle the firefight. While looking at Williams, Alice started thinking weather she really did care about her and meant what she said earlier or was just saying that to make her feel better.

"_Do I really care about her that much? I mean I've only known her for a few hours." _Shepard thought weather or not she really cared about her despite not really getting to know her. Just as she thought that a laser blasted the crate in front of her and she quickly snapped out of it to return fire. The team made it down to the end of the tram and took to the other side of the spaceport. Just as they arrived, they realized that Saren was going to blow this place to kingdom come. Fighting through the relentless geth and disarming the bombs they came upon the Prothean beacon.

"Look at that, actual Prothean technology." Kaiden was amazed by it.

"Normandy? Package secured and ready for pick up." Shepard said as she called in the Normandy.

"It wasn't doing anything like that when they dug it up." Ash said with curiosity as green streams were coming from it. She was moving closer to the beam with caution. Just she caught close enough something happened. Shepard pushed Kaiden out of the way and quickly grabbed Ash to throw her out of the way. Not even a second later Shepard was lifted off the ground.

"Shepard!" Ash said reaching for the Commander.

"No! Don't touch her." Kaiden said keeping Ashley at bay.

Shepard was being implanted with a Prothean vision that she could not understand. As the vision ended Shepard fell to the ground unconscious and the beacon exploded. Kaiden let go of Ashley and she quickly ran over to the Commander to see if she was still had a pulse. "She's still got a pulse." Ash said looking over to Kaiden.

"Normandy to ground team. Commander Shepard has been knocked unconscious from the beacon. We need an evac. Alert Doctor Chakwas." Kaiden said quickly to make sure Shepard was dying.

"Come on Commander stay with us!" Ash said looking at Shepard's motionless body. The Normandy landed and both Ash and Kaiden helped Shepard onto the ship and led her to the medical bay. The rest of the crew came to her aid.

-About 15 hours later-

"Doctor! Doctor Chakwas, I think she's waking up!" Ash called out as the Commander was waking up in the med bay of the Normandy SR-1.

"How are you feeling Commander?" Doctor Chakwas asked just as she finished on her computer playing Solitare.

"Like I just hit by mother fucking truck." Shepard said as she reached her for head. Ash giggled as she looked at Chakwas who also had a smile on her face.

"Well it seems you haven't lost your touch." Chakwas said with a laugh. Shepard got a good kick out of it.

"How long was I out?" Shepard said finding it hard to talk to do her migraine.

"About 15 hours. We've detected some unusual brain activity that is associated with intense dreaming." Chakwas said reading from her datapad.

"More like a nightmare." Shepard said "What happened to the beacon?" looking at Ashley.

"It was destroyed; I may have triggered something before you threw me out of the way. You were knocked unconscious then the LT and I carried you back on the ship." Ash said looking at Shepard.

"Gee thanks, I guess I owe my life." The Commander said with smile looking at Ashley. Ash looked back with a smile and a little bit of a blush.

"I might have to put that in my-oh Captain Anderson!" Chakwas said with a surprise as the captain walked into the med bay."

"How's our XO holding up Doctor?" Anderson asked the Doctor Chakwas.

"Physically she's fine but a little weary from the exposure to the beacon. But other than that she's still her usual smart ass self." Chakwas said with a smirk.

"Thanks Doc. Do you two mind if I talk to the Commander in private?" Anderson asked looking at both Williams and Chakwas.

"Not at all Sir." Ash said as she snapped to attention and rendered a salute. "I'll be in the mess if you need me." With that Ash and Chakwas both walked out of the room.

"How are holding up Commander?" Anderson asked. Alice went into detail with the dream and how she saw a vision of what she thought were synthetics slaughtering organics. After telling the Captain this he told her to go up and tell Joker to bring them into dock. Alice rendered a salute and left the room where she met by Williams standing the mess hall.

"How are you holding up Ash?" Shepard asked going back to Eden Prime and her melt down.

"I'm doing fine ma'am thanks for asking. I don't like the idea of replacing Jenkins." Ash said with a little doubt.

"You'll do fine Williams. Your combat prowess is unlike any other I have seen before."

"Thank you Commander." Ash said with a smile.

"How are you holding up from what happened on Eden Prime?" Just as Alice started the conversation Ash's smile disappeared.

"It was rough but I'm ready whenever you need me. You don't need to worry about that happening again. I took what you said at heart and now I understand I can't bring the dead back with revenge." Ash said looking at the ground not making eye contact.

"You'll be okay." Alice said giving Ash a hug. "_Did I really just do that?_" Shepard thought to herself.

"Thanks Commander." Ash said embracing the hug. Shepard walked away to go to the bridge. As Alice was walking up the stairs, Ash took a glimpse of the Commander's ass. "_Wow now that is a nice ass._" Ash said in her mind just as she was questioning her sexuality. "_Did I really just do that?_" Ashley met up with Kaiden and went up to the bridge to meet with the Commander. When the Normandy docked on the Citadel, Anderson took Shepard, Williams, and Alenko to the human ambassador's office where the human ambassador, Donnell Udina, was arguing with the council.


	2. Chapter 2

"This is bullshit." Udina said as he walked over to Anderson when he finished with the council. "Captain Anderson, I see that you've brought your whole crew with you."

"Just the ground team from Eden Prime." Anderson said already frustrated with Udina.

"Commander Shepard." Udina said with a tone that sounded pissed. "I've read your report from Eden Prime and I've requested a meeting with the council." Like a politicians Shepard was ready to just whack him in the head. "I'll give access to the presidium tower. Meet Anderson and I there." Udina and Anderson walked out of the room and headed to the presidium tower.

"Fucking Politicans…" Shepard grumbled under her breath. "All right well there is no delaying the inevitable. Let's go." They left the ambassador's room and headed to the rapid transport system.

"Wow I can't believe this place!" Ashley said in amazement as she looked around the presidium. For the first time being on the Citadel was amazing minus the bureaucratic assholes of course.

"It really is great isn't it?" Kaiden said agreeing with Ashley.

"Hate to be raining down on your parade guys but we need to get to the tower." Alice said trying to focus on the council. They had left the embassies and went to the tower where they saw a turian C-sec officer by the name of Garrus Vakarian who was leading an investigation against Saren. After a brief conversation with Garrus, Kaiden reminded them of the meeting with the council and wished Garrus good luck with the investigation. Walking up the first set of stairs they see Captain Anderson.

"Come one the meeting's already started." Anderson motioned for the team to walk up to meeting.

"We have an eye witness who says Saren shot Nihlus in cold blood!" Udina was yelling in frustration at the council. His face was already beat red with anger.

"Your eye witness is a scared dockworker he could've seen anyone. This meeting is pointless and is a waste of my time." Saren said from his hologram.

"What about Shepard's vision?" Udina yelled out

"Are we allowing dreams as testimony?" Saren mockingly asked

"Enough both of you!" The Asari councilor intergected. She looked at the turian councilor and he shook his head as he thought there was not enough evidence against Saren. "We have declared there is not enough evidence to revoke Saren of his spectre status."

"I'm glad to see justice was served." Saren said with an evil grin.

"Do you have any other questions?" the Asari councilor asked

"What's the point? This is bullshit." Shepard said with distaste.

"This meeting is adjourned." Udina, Anderson, and Shepard's team left the meeting .

"We need to find enough evidence against Saren." Udina said. "Any other ideas?"

"How about that C-Sec investigator? Garrus Vakarian." Ash suggested.

"Good idea. Do we have a lead?" said Shepard looking at Ashley

"Go talk to Harkin. He's usually hanging out in Chora's den." Udina told Shepard. "Anderson when this is over meet me in my office."

"Thanks a bunch." Shepard waited for Udina to leave. "I still hate that asshole. Let's go you guys."

Chora's den was gentlemen's club in the wards. It was packed with people everyone from strippers to military officials to just the regular man getting lap dances. They found Harkin in the corner getting drunk as usual. Kaiden couldn't keep his eyes off the half-naked young asari dancing on the stage. "Hey, Alenko do Ash and I a favor? Keep your dick in pants." Shepard said with a smirk while Ash was giggling.

"Yeah, yeah I know the routine." Alenko said still not keeping his eyes off the asari. Shepard just laughed and walked over to Harkin.

"You Harkin?" Alice said to the drunk man sitting in front of her.

"What's it to ya pretty lady?" Harkin asked eyeing both Shepard and Williams.

"I'm Commander Shepard of the Alliance and if you keep staring at my tits then I just might have to put a hole in your head." Alice said with one hand on her holster ready to quick-draw her pistol.

"Alright jeez no need to cause any violence. What do you want know?" Harkin said sitting up in his chair trying not to piss off the Commander anymore.

"Where's Garrus Vakarian?" Shepard asked but still she had caution by keeping her hand on her holster.

"Last time I checked he was following up on a lead. Look over in the med clinic he's probably over there trying to find Dr. Michel." Harkin said with sort of an attitude.

"Thanks asshole." Alice said walking away eventually bumping into a Krogan was threatening to kill Fist the owner of the club. She passed off as nothing that important. About an hour later they reached the med clinic where Dr. Michel was being threatened by thugs. After a short firefight the thugs were taken care of.

"Thanks Shepard, you gave me a clean shot at that bastard." Garrus said looking at the body with a hole in its head.

"No problem. You took him down clean."

Garrus smiled and turned to Dr. Michel "Dr. Michel, are you hurt?"

"No I'm fine. Thank you for taking care of Fist's thugs." She said with a thick heavy French accent. Shepard thought to herself and went back to the club realizing Fist sent out a team for Dr. Michel.

"What were they after? Shepard asked

"They wanted to keep me quiet from telling Garrus about the quarian."

"What Quarian?" Garrus interjected

"A quarian came to me couple days ago, she had been shot and said she had information on Saren for the Shadow Broker" Dr. Michel said looking at both Alice and Garrus. "She wanted to a place to stay and lay low. So I put her in contact with Fist."

"Time we paid Fist a visit." Shepard said to his squad. Just as they were about to leave when Garrus asked permission to come with them. Garrus also mentioned that a Krogan bounty hunter named Wrex was after Fist. Shepard thought to herself and remembers seeing him in Fist's club. A trip to C-Sec headquarters and the recruitment of Wrex led to all five of them walking over to Chora's Den. The place looked closed so the team went in and engaged in a 5 minute with Fist's thugs. During the firefight Ash couldn't keep her eyes off the Commander amazed by her combat prowess and combat skills. She was beautiful. She knew the story of "The Butcher Of Torfan" and how she sent some squads to their deaths attacking a batarian stronghold. She also knew that her family and friends were killed on the colony of Mindoir when batarian slavers attacked the colony. She was saved by a passing Alliance patrol, when they found her she was almost dead buried under a pile of rubble. Most regard the Commander as a ruthless warrior, not even a soldier. Ash wondered how Alice goes through each day after seeing so much death in her life. There was a quick shot that hit the cover Ash was hiding behind and she returned fire. Once the firefight ended, the team blasted their way into Fist's office.

"Please don't kill me! I'll tell anything you wanna know! I promise!" Fist was on his knees begging for his life.

"Where's the quarian?" Shepard said with a frustrated tone.

"She wanted a meeting with a Shadow Broker." Fist said with a cowardly voice.

"Impossible. The Shadow Broker meets no one in person. Even I was hired through an agent." Wrex blurted out from the back.

"I know, that's why when she gets to the meeting it'll be Saren's thugs waiting for her." Fist said. Just as Fist said Shepard was flip shit.

"Tell me where the quarian is before I blow your lying fucking head off!" Shepard said with a pistol to his face as she was going to kill him no matter what.

"The alley down in the lower wards! Now please don't kill me!" just as Fist finished his statement he was lying on the ground with a hole in his chest. The hole came from Wrex's shotgun.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Garrus yelled looking at Wrex.

"The Shadow Broker hired me to kill him. I don't leave jobs half done."

"Doesn't matter, the bastard deserved it. We need to go find that quarian!" Shepard said and told her squad to move out. When they left the office, they were met with more gunfire and another a quick firefight. Kaiden and Wrex timed their biotic skills and threw two thugs into each other; Garrus overloaded their guns with Sabotage; Ashley provided covering fire for the Commander. Alice looked around at her squad and thought how good these guys were in combat. She especially admired Ashley for some reason. She read her personal file and saw that her dad had passed away and she had a sister named Sarah. Alice also read that she was the granddaughter of General Williams. The only human leader to surrender to the turians during the First Contact War at the battle of Shanxi. Her family name was blacklisted from then on out. Ashley doesn't seem to let it bother her. She had grace and was beautiful not to mention an excellent shot. As she took a thug's head off with her sniper rifle.

"Wheww that was beauty!" Ash grinned as she blew the guy's head off.

"Good shot Williams!" Alice said as she popped out from cover only to see Wrex charging at the remaining thug. The firefight ended with once again no casualties for Team Shepard. "Alright people let's go find that quarian!" they left the club and went down an alley only to find the quarian alive with a dead turian and two dead salarians at her feet.

"You must be the Quarian, are you alright?" Shepard asked holstering her assault rifle.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why are here though?" the quarian said sounding puzzled.

"I hear you have some information on our little friend Saren. My name's Commander Shepard of the Alliance. With me is Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, Lieutenant Kaiden Alenko, C-Sec Officer Garrus Vakarian, and Urdnot Wrex. What's your name?"

"I'm Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. Nice to meet you all." Tali said with everyone else greeting her. "And yes I do have that information on Saren. Although I don't think this is the best place to discuss this."

"Your right we'll go back to the ambassador's office." Everyone followed Shepard back to the human embassy. When they got back there Tali shared what she had and it defiantly proved Saren was guilty. The message also mentioned someone about Matriarch Benezia and something about Reapers. Alice went back through her thoughts to see if she has seen or heard of them. They finally got the evidence they need to bring Saren down. They requested a meeting with the council.

Shepard and her team showed up to the meeting a little late but it didn't matter because they had finally brought him down. The only problem was who going to chase him down through the Terminus Systems.

"You know where he's hiding! Send your fleets in!" Udina yelled out.

"Ambassador Udina, sending our fleets in would cause a war with the Terminus Systems." The Salarian Councilor pointed out. The Terminus System is a part of the galaxy filled with pirates and marauders with no care for galactic law. If a fleet went in there guns blazing it would trigger a war.

"There is another way…" the Asari Councilor interjected.

"No it is too early for the humans to be placed among the spectres!" The turian councilor blurted out cutting off the asari councilor.

"Stop holding us back!" Shepard yelled glaring at the turian councilor. The council debated for a few seconds and ultimately agreed to allow Commander Alice Shepard of the Alliance to become the first human spectre. After a little ceremony Shepard was officially a spectre. Udina being Udina didn't give her a compliment and told Shepard to meet him and Anderson at the docking bay. Anderson was resigning as Captain of the Normandy and made Shepard captain. Shepard was that there rumors of geth reports on Feros, also the sight of Matriach Benezia on Noveria, and the daughter of Benezia was a Prothean researcher by the name Liara T'Soni. She was last spotted in the Artimus Tau Cluster. Shepard had a little speech for the crew than dismissed them. After Alice dismissed the crew she went down to her locker to take off her armor and got changed into fatigues. After dinner most of the crew went to bed. Alice went to her room to get some shut eye. It was a long day she was thinking getting changed for bed. She dozed off about an hour later.


	3. Chapter 3

Alice woke up to the sound of someone knocking on her door. "Commander it's time to get up ma'am." Ashley said as it was about 0900.

"Alright thanks Chief." Shepard called from her bed. Ash walked replied with a yes ma'am and went to go eat breakfast. With a long stretch, she didn't want to get up but she had to if she was going to save the galaxy. Alice stood up cracked her back and her neck. After finally waking up she walked into to the bathroom and jumped in the shower. When she jumped out of the shower she rummaged through her drawers to find something to throw on. Alice found a bra, an N7 hoodie, and sweatpants. "Yeah that's good enough." Alice said as she looked at herself in the mirror. She walked out of the room to find the rest of the crew eating breakfast. Walking up to the cook and having her breakfast plopped on her plate, she went to go find a seat and coincidently it was next to Ashley.

"Morning guys." Alice said with a smile on her face. "Anyone sitting here?"

"Nope go ahead Commander." Ash said looking up at the Commander.

"Thanks Ash." Shepard said looking at Ash with a smile. Ash smiled back and continued eating. "This shit again; I swear we need to get better food." Alice said with some disgust.

"Could be worse ma'am."

"Yeah well no point in complaining if this is what we eat every day. Have to keep your strength up." Alice said taking a bite out of her food and she was barely able to swallow it. About 15 minutes later she went up to the galaxy map to punch in the coordinates to the location of Liara T'Soni.

-About 3 hours later-

As the Normandy was coming out of the mass relay, Shepard was thinking about whom she was taking with on the mission since only 4 people can fit in the Mako. The planet scanning revealed that Dr. T'Soni was on the planet Therum. "Wrex, Ashley, and Tali, get your gear ready meet me down in the cargo hold by the Mako in 5." Shepard called over the comm. 5 minutes later her and the rest of the team climbed in the Mako.

"Joker, drop us in whenever you're ready."

"Roger that, Commander."

"Alright guys, this going to be a rough ride as soon as we hit the ground. Wrex, get on the main cannon. Blast anything that might cause trouble."

"Doing what I do best Shepard." Wrex smiled with a devilish grin.

"Tali, make sure that you repair the shields if we're under heavy fire."

"You got it Commander." Tali said as she was the tech expert. Just as she said that the Mako was dropped and was now on the ground.

"Williams, handle the machine gun. Make sure you don't overheat it."

"Roger that, ma'am." Ash said with a smirk on her face.

"I hope none of you have motion sickness, because I'm driving." Alice said with an evil smirk. About a mile up the path they saw a geth dropship drop in two geth armatures armed with plasma cannons. "Wrex, Williams, Open Fire!" Shepard yelled. The two armatures were tougher than they looked a beam soon hit the Mako. "Tali, damage report!"

"No serious damage but if we keep taking fire the shields will go down!"

"Alright. Williams keep up the fire!" The two armatures collapsed like pieces of cloth. They encountered more geth along the way, until they hit a mini geth stronghold with 4 heavy turrets guarding it. "Well we're not going in that way." They found a side entrance in the hill and Wrex blew the remaining geth with the heavy cannon while Ash took out the stragglers with the machine gun. The stronghold wasn't long as it took less than 5 minutes to take out the geth in the area. After short little firefights with pockets of geth along the path, the Mako reached a point in cannot pass or go through. Shepard put the Mako in reverse and ordered Wrex to fire the main cannon at the pile rocks blocking the path. The blast punched through the rocks and they continued on. What was beginning to look like an entrance to a structure came into view. Just as they were ready to get out, the geth dropped in more troops and a colossus. "Heads up Colossus!" Shepard said in surprise at the size of that thing. "Wrex, target the Colossus, Ashley fire the machine gun in bursts at the troops."

"You got it Shepard!" Wrex smiled as he started blasting the shields away.

"Yes ma'am!" Ash said as she was gunning down the troops as quickly as she can.

The Mako took multiple shots from the Colossus. "Tali! How are we doing?" Alice said trying to maneuver the Mako around the shots coming from the troops and Colossus.

"Shields are at 10%, Shepard! We can't keep taking hits!" Tali yelled from across the Mako.

"Roger! Wrex, take that thing out now!" Shepard said just as the colossus collapsed and Ash was just finishing wrapping up the remaining geth. "Good work people. Looks like were hoofing from here on out. The crew filed out of the Mako and walked into the mining facility. There were some geth in the mine when they reached the elevator to take down to the lower level of the mine. The elevator began to malfunction just when they reached the bottom. "Just my fucking luck." Alice cursed under her breath. "Wrex, watch our six and make sure no geth sneak up behind us."

"Alright, Shepard."

"Ashley, Tali, follow me we're going to find Dr. T'Soni." Shepard heard a voice in distress in the distance.

"Help, is anyone out there?" Liara's voice was coming from behind a blue force field. "Oh thank the Goddess."

"I'm Commander Shepard of the Alliance" Shepard said "Dr. T'Soni I presume?"

"Yes. There's no way in the forcefield from that side. I sealed against the geth. You have to find another way in." Just as Liara said that a bullet ricocheted off the wall next to them.

"Take out those hostiles!" Shepard shouted and within five minutes the geth were taken out. Shepard found a mining laser and punched in some codes and before they knew it the laser punched a hole through the forcefield. The team climbed up the rubble and freed Dr. T'Soni when all of a sudden the ground was shaking.

"The mining laser must've triggered some seismic activity." Wrex said as he almost fell over onto Ashley.

Shepard radioed Joker to pick them up. "Joker lock in on our location and pick us up on the double mister!"

"Roger that, Commander. ETA 5 minutes."

The group gathered on the elevator to take them out of there. When they reached the top a Krogan battlemaster and a couple geth showed up attempting to delay them. "We don't have time for this idiot, charge!" In about 10 minutes the Krogan and geth were gunned down. The whole place was caving in around them. They found a way through another forcefield and quickly ran up the stairs to the exit. They reached the exit with just enough time before they got crushed. The facility sunk into the lava.

Back in the briefing room.

"You know, lava tends to fry our sensors and melt our hull. Just for a future reference." Joker joked over the comm.

"I don't understand. Your pilot is joking around even though we almost died." Liara said confused.

"It's a coping mechanism you get used to it." Shepard said

"Ah I see. Well thank you Commander." Liara said with a smile thanking her savior.

"What association do you have with your mother?" Shepard asked cutting right to the point.

"I have not seen or spoken to my mother in over 10 years and I have no association with that turian bastard." Liara said in defense. "If you let me stay I can prove to you I'm a capable fighter. I see that you have also been touched by a Prothean beacon. I was wondering if we join minds to see if I can decipher what you can't."

"Alright but one wrong move and your ass is going to get blasted out the nearest airlock." Shepard said looking at Liara who had a terrified look on her face. "I'm only joking. Go ahead." With that moment they joined minds. It took a toll on Shepard that she fell back and was caught by Ashley. "I'm alright. You guys get some down time for now. Crew Dismissed!"

"Report is away Commander. Want me to patch you through to the council?" Joker asked over the comm.

"Commander we see that have recruited Dr. T'Soni for your mission." The Asari Councilor said.

"We hope you've taken the necessary precautions." The turain councilor said with a pissed off tone that he always has.

"Yes, we've bound her hands and her feet and dampened her biotics so she can't escape." Shepard said with an evil grin. All three councilors looked at her like she was out of her mind. "Don't worry I'm only being sarcastic."

"That wasn't funny Commander." The turian councilor said unamused.

"I'll show what is really funny." Alice said as she signaled Joker to cut to comm line.

"Communications cut, Commander." Joker said with a small chuckle. With that done Alice decided to go talk to Ashley down in the cargo hold.

Taking the elevator was always annoying because of how slow it was. The door opened Ash was over by the armory probably cleaning the rifles. As she got closer Ash was checking her email. "I didn't know Commander Shepard was you commanding officer. You too would make such a cute couple. Love you sis." Ashley's sister sent her the email and Alice walked over just in time to hear the end of it. Just as it finished Ash turned around to see Alice standing behind her.

"Please don't tell me that you heard that." Ashley groaned.

"Yep, I heard it." Alice shrugged.

"Next time we get shore leave, she and I are going to have a talk. She's always trying to set me up with people in my unit."

"Well, why not me? I'm successful, gorgeous, not mention easy on the eyes and I always get the job done." Alice said with a smirk.

"I-We-Never mind I have a question to ask you ma'am."

"Shoot."

"I'm not sure having aliens on our ship is a good idea. Specifically Wrex and Vakarian. I don't think they should be allowed in this area of the ship. I mean this is the most advanced ship in the Alliance Navy."

"You questioning my command Chief?" Alice asked

"No ma'am we should just watch them long enough for us to trust them. The council races have always been suspicious of humanity. All I'm saying is that if it came down it, they might turn their backs on us in order to save their own skins. It's the same as if you're fighting a bear and the way to escape is to sic your dog on them. We're technically the dog in that scenario. Do you see my point ma'am?" Ash said with a sigh.

"Yes, I do, and I understand your concerns but you'll just have trust me on this one Williams."

"Aye, aye ma'am" Ash said snapping to attention rendering a salute "You tell me to jump, I say how high. You ask me to kiss a turian, I ask which cheek."

That got Alice thinking…"What if told you to kiss someone else, chief?" Alice said in sort of a come hither tone that caught Ash by surprise as she dropped her salute.

"Depends on the person ma'am." Ash said "If it was a superior officer, it would be a violation of regulations and I would have to relieve of command. Ma'am." Ash said trying not to look at Alice's face as she felt herself almost blushing.

"But Ash, I'm a spectre. I answer to the council. Which correct if I'm wrong but the council has no regulations for being a spectre." Alice said with a respective tone and a smirk.

"Then I would have no choice to kiss that person. Wait a sec, are you asking me to kiss you Commander?" Ash finally realized what was going on.

"I do not know Ash, you tell me." Alice said with a smirk as she leaned on the table with her arms crossed. There was a long pause for about a minute; all that was heard was Garrus working on the Mako with some other engineers. During the pause Ashley began thinking…

"_Should I? Should I really kiss her?"_ As Ash finished her thought she decided to go along with it and gave Alice a peck on the lips. She could feel herself blushing and felt as if she smiling but did her best to hide it.

"Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, I believe that you have just violated regs of fraternization by kissing your commanding officer." Alice barked.

"But…But…you told me too!" Ash said in defense.

"I did not. I never said it directly. You interoperated as 'go ahead and kiss me' and you kissed me voluntarily. By the way I answer to the council, you don't."

"I don't believe you! You used my own words against me!" Ashley barked as she turned away from Alice. Before she continued her thoughts of anger, she felt something wrap around her waist. Ash looked down only to see Alice's hand.

"You know Ash; I never said I didn't like it." Alice said with smirk as she kissed Ash and let her go.

"Wait a second, I'm confused." Ash answered. "Are you…you know…?"

"Maybe I am, or maybe it's just you so goddamn amazing that you're making me curious."

"Does that mean you're using me?" Ash said in defense.

"Not at all. There's just something about you that intrigues me. Maybe your sister was on to something. Dismissed Chief." Alice said as she walked away with smirk on her face as she left Ash to think about the events that had just happened.

"_Damn, she's good. Sarah might have a point after all_." Ash thought as she looked around the cargo bay to make sure no on just watched what had just previously transpired.


	4. Chapter 4

"I'm pretty sure we need to hunt down Saren. Not get side tracked by the Alliance." Alice groaned as she walked up to the galaxy map to change the coordinates from Feros to the Skyllian Verge in the Armstrong Cluster. "What asshole ordered this?"

"Admiral Hackett did, ma'am." Kaiden said as he followed Alice to the debriefing room. "The Alliance seems to think there are pockets of geth in the Skyllian Verge."

"So instead of following Saren, we're following his lackeys?" Alice said as she looked a little flustered as she made her way into the debriefing room where the rest of the team was mustered. "That's just fucking great. Alright you guys, so instead of following our lead on Feros like the council asked us to, the Alliance seems to think we have better things to do such as tracking geth pockets in Skyllian Verge." Alice barked as her team was dead silent as they all looked at her like deer in headlights. "The team for now is going to consist of the following…" Alice said looking at each individual member of her squad. "First mission is going to be Kaiden and Garrus, Garrus I need for your marksmanship as well for your tech powers." Garrus and Kaiden looked each other and both gave a respectful nod. "Second mission is going to consist of Tali and Kaiden , with Tali's expertise on the geth the skirmish shouldn't last long. Finally for the last mission it'll be Wrex and Liara. Due to their biotic abilities, they should be able to handle crowd control. The squads are final and I have any changes to the teams I'll let you guys know. Crew dismissed." Alice said as she watched everyone get up and discuss their pairings about the future mission. Alice was getting ready to leave the briefing room to head down to her bunk when she was stopped by Ashley.

"Uh Commander, why wasn't I chosen for any of the missions?"

"I've already made my decisions based on the abilities of the troops that I have."

"Why did you double up LT, I could've easily taken one of their places in battle." Ash said in defense.

"Do you not trust the decisions I make Williams?"

"It's not that, it's just that I believe that each one of us should have equal responsibilities." Ashley sighed

"Listen, I know what you're getting at." Alice said putting her on hand on her shoulder "Right now, we're facing the geth and what I need are those tech and biotic abilities. You have neither. So its redundant for two soldiers to be attacking the geth. You're my right hand woman in any other situation. But right now it's more about tech powers than combat. You see what I'm getting at Ash?"

"Yeah." Ash said glaring into Alice's eyes. "I'm plain, useless in this situation." Ash said before storming out of the room and down to the crew deck.

"Mako is away." Joker said aloud while moving his hands across the holographic controls. "Drop successful." Just not realizing Ash was standing on the bridge behind him. "Hey Ashley, what brings you up to the bridge?" Joker said turning around.

"Like you don't know." Ash said grimly

"Ahh that's right. Riding the bench, if it makes you feel any better I know how you feel riding the bench. During any physical activity as a kid, I was always picked last or sometimes not at all because they didn't want the kids with poor legs to be on their team. Little bastards." Joker said with a chuckle.

"Well I don't blame them." Ash said laughing "But no it doesn't make me feel any better."

"Ahh I see. What if told that the scuttlebutt is that you're on the bench is because the Commander cares about you."

"What? That's bullshit. I'm a big girl and I can protect myself. If she really did care about me than I should be down there blowing the geth to kingdom come. The phrase of a 'knight in shining armor' doesn't apply here. I'd prefer the knight than the damsel in distress."

"You may not know the Commander as well you think Ash."

"Excuse me?" Ash said as she was taken aback by Joker's comment.

"Trust me you don't know her as well as you think. You've talked to her and heard the gossip about her reputation. But what you don't know is during the assault on Torfan, her fiancée was part of her squad. She lost ¾ of her squad during the assault…" Joker said clenching up as it was hard for him to finish, finally he finished "among that ¾ was her fiancée. She was a wreck when the battle ended. All she got back was his dog tags. After having someone you care about die by your side, it changes you. She cares about you Ash; you may not believe it and you may not see it but she does. That's why on the bench. I can't imagine what she would be like if she lost someone like you." After Joker was done, there was dead silence on the bridge.

Ashley thought about what Joker had just said. Maybe he was right and the conversation earlier with her might have been the reason she was sidelined. "Thanks Joker, I need to hear that." Ash said walking off the bridge and back down to her quarters.

"Wait, are you being sarcastic?" Joker said just before Ash left the bridge.

"No Joker, I was serious."

It was between the second and third mission where Ash was cleaning her guns just in case Alice did change her mind. Just than an alarm went off and Joker's voice came in over the comm. "All hands, report to the cargo bay. All hands, report to the cargo bay." Ash quickly dropped her rifle and sprinted toward that cargo bay only to see the Mako on fire with crewman around it trying to put the fire out. She caught sight of Kaiden with Alice in her arms.

"Ash, go alert Dr. Chakwas. The Commander needs medical attention." Kaiden said. Ash looked down to see Alice with a hole in her breather helmet. The hole had scorch marks around it, from a geth sniper no doubt. I didn't look like she was breathing but she still had a pulse. The medi-gel was keeping her alive for the moment.

"Yes sir." Ash said sprinting out of the room towards the med bay.

"Fuuuck…my head hurts." Alice said finally waking up. She was still in pain but at least she was conscious.

"Alice. You're up." Ash said practically leaping out of her chair that was next to the bedside.

"Chief, how long was I out?"

"About a week ma'am." Ash said.

"Shit." Alice said lying back in her bed with a sigh of defeat. "Looks like the geth are strengthening their outposts now."

"Not necessarily." Ash said looking away from the Commander.

"What are you saying Ash?"

"I lead the remaining missions actually. And wiped out the remaining geth in the Armstrong nebula."

"You did what?" Alice said in frustration as she was sitting up. "Who gave you permission? You are not my XO."

"Pressley gave me permission ma'am. No one disagreed with it either. I kept the same teams as you said. There was even a fifth mission that included us wiping out the main geth base." Ash said remembering the mission with a smirk. "The main geth hub within the base had key locations on the geth fleet and movements. I gave a copy to Tali for to take back on her pilgrimage and sent the data to the Alliance."

"I didn't realize you worked so well with aliens with your family history and all." Alice said leaning up slowly with a smile. "Driving the Mako isn't easy as you think right."

As Ash was about to answer Alenko walked into the room "Actually Commander, she's better than you no offense." Alenko said laughing. Alenko left the room leaving Ash and Alice in the med bay by themselves.

"I'm sorry about earlier when I stormed out of the briefing room." Ashley said finally breaking the silence.

"No it's alright." Alice said

"I talked to Joker after the first mission was under-way. He told me about your fiancée on Torfan."

"I knew I shouldn't have told him."

"He told me that you would do your damndest to keep the ones you care about away from harm's way and to be honest that flatters me but I'm an Alliance Marine so I go running towards harm's way."

"Ash, you're a special person to me, the most special person in my life right now next to my parents. You're charming, witty, and not to mention gorgeous." Alice said "You're one of the few friends I have right now. Most people see me and look the other way due to my reputation as 'The Butcher Of Torfan'. If I could take back what I did I would, I relive it every night in my dreams; the names haunting me, calling my name, asking why it was them who had to go. If I can I would trade places with each and every one of them." Alice said with her face tensing up feeling like she was ready to cry. Ash put her arm on her and held her tight.

"I understand Commander. I really do. I just never have seen you like this." Ash said trying to keep her spirits up.

"Thanks for listening Ash."

"Anytime Commander."

"There is one thing I have to ask you though Ash…" Alice said as she decided to muse herself.

"Sure Commander. What's up?"

"What kind of relationship do we have here Williams?" Alice said with a smirk she was trying to hold back but ultimately failing.

"Well…I'd say we…uh…hmm you're really putting me on the spot aren't you?" Ash said with grin while stuttering. "Well I kissed you, and you kissed me back so I guess we kind of have feelings for each other."

"You don't sound so like you know."

"Well it's just that I'm not used to something like this. We're both women, you treat me like an equal, etc. But does all that mean I'm a lesbian?"

"How about we do a little test?" Alice said with grin

"What kind of test?"

"Simple. Alenko get your ass in here!"

"Yes ma'am?" Alenko said walking into the room a few seconds later.

"Make out with Chief Williams." Alice said without hesitation.

"Ma'am?" Kaiden said with a dumbfounded look on his face.

"Did I stutter? I ordered you to make out with Chief Williams. I am a spectre who according to the council is above the rules. You shouldn't disobey a spectre. Now start kissing." Alice said folding her arms and leaning back in the medical bed.

"Umm okay, if you say so." Kaiden said walking over Ashley "Chief, I'm sorry if this makes you feel uncomfortable." Kaiden said as he pressed his lips on to Ash's as their lips began to interlocking as they kissed passionately for the next few seconds.

"Time's up, that's enough." Alice said snapping her fingers "you're dismissed Kaiden."

"Aye ma'am." Kaiden said as he walked out of the room with a grin on his face waiting to tell his friends about had just transpired.

"Pheww that was hot!" Alice said with a big grin on her face "how was it on your end?"

"Just as hot. I never knew Alenko was such a good kisser." Ash said with a smirk. "But for some reason you're still attracted to me. And yet Liara or Tali aren't. Not meaning that, they're attractive but nothing on the level we're talking about here."

"Maybe you're bi-sexual but only attracted to me and I can prove it."

"Really, how?"

"Make out with me now."

"Alright, what the hell. What can go wrong?" Ash said

"I didn't know you so defiant, Chief." As Alice finished her statement Ashley leaned in and began kissing her with more fire than Kaiden. Alice felt like she was being turned on. Alice started to slowly and seductively move her hand towards Ash's ass.

"Mhmm alright…" Ash said as she pulled away.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing it's just the fact that you're trying to slide into second base and we're not even together yet." Ash said with an evil smirk.

"So we are getting together. Interesting."

"Don't get any smart ideas."

"Too late." Alice with an equally evil smile

"You have to ask nicely."

"Why me?"

"Well because you're the Commanding Officer and a council spectre."

"Fine you have to be so damn persistent." Alice groaned. It was silenced for a few seconds before they both asked each other.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" As both were startled.

"So you did take the lead than?" Alice said grinning at Ash

"Why does it matter? Just answer the damn question."

Once again they both answered at the same time. "Yes."

"Goddamn we did again." Alice said with a chuckle.

"That settles that I guess." Ash said looking at Alice.

"I guess it does. Now where were we?" Alice asking with a seducing smile.

"Right here." Ash said quietly placing her lips upon Alice's and pursing where they had just left off.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys, I hope you are enjoying the Holidays. This Chapter covers Alice and Ash's relationship (whether to let the crew know), the mission to Feros, and when Shepard's and Ash's relationship is taken to the next level. I do not own the properties of the_ NHL_ or _Miracle_, it is just there for entertainment reasons. Besides the only reason I'm using Miracle is because hockey doesn't get the recognition it deserves plus it's one of my favorite movies**

* * *

"Alright, now thanks to the help of Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, we have successfully cleared out the remaining geth pockets in the Armstrong Nebula." Alice said looking at Ash with a smile. "Now back to the business at hand. I've punched in the coordinates for the Theseus System in the Attican Beta to go to Feros. Should take about a couple hours for us to get there. Until than you guys are free to your own demise. Crew Dismissed." Shepard said as the rest of the filed out of the briefing room. Alice decided to go down to the mess and get something to eat and after that see what's on TV. Walking down to the mess deck she heard something like chanting and cheering on only to find out that Wrex and Ash were arm wrestling. Wrex was to most people's surprise was losing.

"Ash! Ash! Ash! Ash!" was all that was heard in the mess deck from the surrounding crewmates. Alice laughed at it and went to go find some snacks. While she was rummaging through the cabinet Kaiden appeared to be walking up to her from behind.

"What's up Kaiden?" Shepard said not turning around

Kaiden looked around and wondered how she was able to her or see him. "How did you know I was here?"

"You should know me better than that. I know how everyone walks on this ship and you have the most distinctive step on the ship next to Tali of course." Alice answered "Now what do you want." Alice had finally found what she wanted; it was some sort of granola bar. "Walk with me." Alice said walking over to her quarters.

Finally getting back to her quarters Kaiden opened his mouth and said "So I hear you and Ashley are a thing now." Kaiden said with a smirk.

"Yeah what's your point?"

"So you're not concerned with the regs of fraternization?" Kaiden responded.

"Did you lose your mind? I'm a council spectre remember." Alice said kicking off her combat boots and grabbing the remote to turn the TV on.

"Alright whatever, so are you concerned with word getting out that you and Chief Williams are going out?"

"Won't bother me that much." Alice said with a shrug while still flipping through the channels. Finally she found an old TV show that was on over a hundred years ago called "NCIS". She loved those types of shows.

"You sure? Have you talked to Ash about this?" Kaiden said

"No I guess not. You're probably right. Do you mind sending her in?" Alice said eyes still glued to the TV.

"Yeah sure." Kaiden said as he left the room to get Ash.

"Sure Commander what's up?" Ash said walking into the room.

"Kaiden brought up the point of the relationship between us getting out. I'm personally okay with it but I wanted to ask you before anything really got out." Alice said as she finally turned away from the TV.

"I don't see a problem about it getting out. At least we'll have less guys try and get into our pants." Ash said with a chuckle.

"Yeah that's right. So you're okay with it?"

"Yeah I'm fine with it."

"Alright thanks for your opinion, dismissed chief."

"Aye ma'am." Ash said saluting than leaving the room. Alice was still watching TV until she konked out about an hour later.

* * *

"About 20 minutes out from the Attictan Beta mass relay Commander. I suggest you start getting your team together." Joker said over the comm waking the Commander up.

"Yeah, yeah I'm up. Thanks Joker, assemble the team in the briefing room." Alice said stretching her arms and legs finally getting out of bed. After about 5 minutes the team was quickly assembled in the briefing room. "Alright ladies and gents, we got reports of geth attacking colonists on Feros. I've decided to bring Tali and Wrex for a mix of both tech and biotics." Tali and Wrex looked at each other and Wrex gave Tali a respectful huff. "Williams I want you standing by in case something happens to these two."

"Roger that ma'am."

"You three, get your shit together. We land in five. Dismissed!"

"We've got geth in the-" the colonist was ready to finish until he was blown away by a rocket trooper.

"Open fire!" Shepard yelled as they quickly dispatched the geth in the main area of the spaceport.

"The colony called Zhu's Hope is just a few clicks away." Joker said calling over the radio.

"Roger that." Alice said "Move out." After a few short skirmishes in the roads leading to Zhu's Hope the team finally reached the colony. Half of them looked like they've never handled a gun which was no surprise at this point. They reached the end of the colony and found just about the only leader these people have, Fai Den. "Fai Den? I'm Commander Alice Shepard, Alliance Navy, we've got reports of geth in and around the colony."

"That's right Commander we've been fighting them off for days and these people are just about ready to give up. Maybe now that you're here might give them something to fight for." Fai Den said

"We got geth in the tower!" Someone shouted as geth were spotted coming down the tower.

"We'll take care of it! Get your people to safety!" Alice said as Fai Den took those who weren't armed and took them to the far side of the colony. Meanwhile Shepard and her team took out the remaining geth in the clock tower. Talking with Fai Den some more, he said that the geth are more concentrated on the far side of the Prothean bridge. Alice and her team followed the advice and took the Mako to cross the bridge. There were a few geth armatures along the route but nothing the main cannon couldn't handle. When the Mako reached about the end of the bridge, they heard a radio broadcast that short wave which meant they had to be near. Tali tracked the location and the team found it only to be operated by Exo-Geni Corps.

"You won't get away with this Jeong." A female voice was saying.

"What's all this about?" Shepard said slowly walking down the ramp towards the make shift camp. The guards drew their guns. "I don't think so." Alice said as she pulled a pistol aimed at the guy they were calling Jeong. "Now boys unless you wanna see this man's brains all over the ground I suggest that all of you holster your weapons." The guards did as followed.

"My daughter is still in there, Jeong." A woman said who went by the name of Juliana

"How could even be sure she's alive?" Jeong said

"What is going on?" Alice asked once again this time getting the attention of everyone there.

"My daughter Lizbeth is still at the headquarters. She stayed behind to gather data when the geth hit. I know she is still in there."

"Don't worry we'll get her out of there safely Juliana." Shepard said as she left and made her way to the other end of the bridge encountering more geth along the way. They reached the end of the bridge and they all filed out of the Mako and were now on foot. "3 meter spread and watch your fire. Remember were here to find the daughter and see why the geth are centered along this location." Just as Shepard said this, a plasma bolt shot hit the deck inches away from her feet. "Take cover and open fire!" The squad opened fire in short controlled bursts with tactical movement from cover to cover while the other provided covering fire. The three of them walked around to find an entrance only find a geth forcefield.

"We need to find the source of power and shut it down." Tali said interjecting "Most likely coming from the geth ship parked on the side of the building. All we need to do is follow the trail." The team found an opening in the ground that looked to be blocked off only to find Lizbeth. She mentioned something about a telepathic life-form that takes control of life forms called the Thorian, apparently it was located under Zhu's Hope. She gave Shepard her ID in case they ran into any VI interfaces. Following the trail, the team encountered more geth along the path and reached to where seems to be the connection to the geth. A few encounters with more geth and using the power cutters to cut the lines form the ship the ship fell into the abyss of the planet causing a shockwave that was felt by the colonists at Zhu's Hope.

"Good the forcefield is down. Let's get the hell outta-"Alice was about to finish when she a krogan arguing with what seemed like a VI interface. The krogan turned around to find Alice and her team.

"Good I've been waiting for a fight." The krogan said as he charged the team only to be quickly gunned down by Wrex.

"That didn't last long." Wrex said with a chuckle.

"Welcome Dr. Lizbeth Baynham." The VI said looking at Shepard.

She was confused than went back to Lizbeth giving her ID to Alice. "What was the last person attempting to access?"

"Species 47, codenamed 'The Thorian'." The VI said

"Shit, Lizbeth was right we need to get back to Zhu's Hope now."

"Commander, come in. Come on Shepard don't leave me hanging." Joker said calling over the radio.

"I'm here Joker what's the matter?" Alice answered

"We've got the colonists surrounding the docking bay and trying to hammer their way in." Joker said nervously.

"Roger that. Have Williams fire warning shots to see if that draws them away."

"You bet, Commander."

"Alright let's move out and back to Zhu's Hope and find that Thorian." Alice said. They picked up Lizbeth and headed back to the colony but not before dropping Lizbeth off at the Exo-Geni makeshift camp. Jeong threatened to have the place purged, but before he could call in the order, Shepard shot him point blank in the head. Juliana suggested using gas grenades to purge the Thorian's influence over the colonists. Shepard did just that to use on the colonists that barely put up a fight and came upon the freighter that most likely was hiding the Thorian. Just before Fai Den showed up using what willpower had left to shoot himself so he wouldn't be controlled by the Thorian any longer. Walking down the corridor beneath the freighter they found the Thorian, much larger than anyone expected.

"Keelah, that thing is huge." Tali said in astonishment. Next thing they knew it was like the Thorian threw out an asari.

"You have trespassed here and know you shall die." The greenish asari said and opened fire on Shepard and her squad. She was taken down with little trouble. The team found supports that if destroyed could cause the Thorian to fall and kill it. With each support destroyed the clone kept appearing and equally disappearing form the plasma that Shepard and her team fired into the clone. With the supports destroyed and the Thorian dead all seemed to have ended until the Asari they have been encountering the whole team broke loose of whatever barrier was holding her down.

"I am Shiala, I was being held prisoner by the Thorian." The asari said as she stood up greeting Commander Shepard.

"I'm Commander Alice Shepard of the Alliance. What you doing inside that…thing?" Alice said pointing to the object that she was in.

"Saren had offered me to the Thorian in exchange for The Cipher." Shiala said.

"So you worked with Saren?" Alice said.

"I followed Matriarch Benezia who had followed Saren. It seems that Saren bends people to his will. But it is not Saren himself that does that but his ship. A massive vessel he calls Sovereign. It is not of any race encountered."

"Alright, what is The Cipher? How do I find it?" Alice said like she was in a rush.

"Let me show you. Clear your mind and Embrace eternity." Shiala linked minds with Alice. The vision seemed like similar to the beacon she had previously encountered on Eden Prime. After having The Cipher embedded in her mind now, Shiala had asked to stay and help out with the colony. Shepard reluctantly agreed and the two soon parted ways.

* * *

"Alright guys that just about does it for today. Why don't you guys take some time off? Crew dismissed." Shepard said dismissing her team from the briefing room.

"Feros report is away, Commander. Would you like me to patch you through to the council?" Joker asked over the comm.

"Patch them through Joker." Shepard said as the council came online.

"We've read your report Commander." The Asari Councilor stated.

"Why didn't you capture this 'Thorian' for study?" The turian council said with a pissed off tone.

"Well I'm sorry if I put the people I care about ahead of your curiosity councilor." Shepard barked

"Think carefully about your next statement, Commander." The turian councilor said cautiously.

"Fuck this."

"Communications cut, Commander." Joker stated over the comm chuckling. Alice stomped out of the room and down to the crew deck. She reached her room and turned on the lights only to find Ashley laying down in her bed.

"How did you get in here?" Alice said kicking off her boots.

"The door's always unlocked Commander." Ash said.

"True but why are you in here?

"Thought I should spend time with the one that's been there for me this whole time."

"Depends on what 'spending time together' means." Alice said seductively

"How about we watch the game?" Ash said turning the TV on.

"Alright 100 credits says the Red Wings beat the Blackhawks in the quarterfinal." Alice said grabbing the remote away.

"Oh come on that's not even a contest just because Detroit made the playoffs the last hundred years doesn't mean they're any good in the playoffs. You are so on."

"Oooh just in time Game 7 just started."

-_About 3 hours later_-

"_Johnson takes the shot on Fetisov and scores to move the Red Wings on to the semifinal!" _the announcer said on the TV.

"Oh come on! That's bullshit! Chicago needs to get better defense during the offseason. Johnson just skated through Chicago's defenders." Ash said frustrated.

"Ha! Pay up, Williams!" Alice said pushing her

"Fine. But next time I'll get those credits back" Ash said pulling out her omni-tool and transferring the credits to Shepard's account.

"Told ya Detroit's got it this year." Alice said looking at Ash

"Bite me will ya?" Ash said being sarcastic. Alice doing what she did best to piss other people off actually bit Ash. "Oww. I didn't mean literally."

"Come on I'm bored." Alice said jumping on Ash

"You really wanna play this game now?" Ash said with a smirk.

"Just pretend you're playing like Chicago and you'll defiantly win." Alice said chuckling.

"All right that's it you've crossed the line." Ash said finally falling into Alice's trap and pouncing on her.

"Oooh I like it when you play rough chief." Alice answered reaching up to kiss Ash. They continued making out when Alice took Ash's shirt off and unstrapped her bra. "Wow I didn't realize how perky your tits were Ash." Alice said caressing Ashley's breasts when one hand reached down towards Ash's ass.

"Alright getting me topless is one thing. Getting in my pants is completely another." Ash said pulling away from Alice.

"Can't blame a girl for trying." Alice said with a shrug.

"That's true. But you ruined the mood now." Ash said "We can make out topless but getting in my pants is gonna have to wait."

"Come on…" Alice said whining

"You're the one that tried to rush it not me." Ash said with a smirk.

"The game is over. Let's try and find a movie to watch." Alice said flipping through the channels finding _Miracle._ The movie about the 1980 US Olympic Hockey Team, despite it being over 100 years old it was still Shepard's favorite sports movie.

"Oooh I love this movie!" Ash said getting excited cuddling up against Alice.

"_You better think about something else each and every one of you. When you pull on that jersey, you represent yourself and your teammates. And the name on the front is a hell of a lot more important than the one on the back, get that your head! Again!" _The scene kept playing when the man playing Herb Brooks said one of the most influential lines in the movie. "_This cannot be a team of common men. Because common men go nowhere. You have to be uncommon."_ The movie kept playing while Alice and Ashley fell into each other's arms falling asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey, guys hope you had a great holiday and New Year's. Sorry about not updating this sooner, I've just been extremely busy with school and work. This chapter is basically a flashback going back to Torfan, and Alice and Ashley have talk about that night. So without further ado, Chapter 6.**

* * *

The sound of gunfire and grenade explosions was unbearable to any normal human being. Commander Alice Shepard was no normal human as she had been trained for situations such as this. "Bravo Squad, arm that munitions warehouse on the other side of the battlefield with explosives so we can blow it sky high and go home. We'll give you covering fire. Remember there's a shit load of artillery fire coming in so stay low and keep moving." Shepard ordered to Sergeant Hendrickson who was in charge of Bravo Squad.

"Roger that ma'am." Hendrickson said as he was preparing his squad. "Bravo Squad, lock and load! Lowe, keep your head down 'cause if you don't arm those explosives fast enough then we all go home early."

"On it, Sergeant." Private Lowe answered as a mortar hit near the trench.

"But ma'am that's suicide! We'll never make it time!" A private from the far end squad shouted.

"There is no choice Private! We blow it or we all go home in body bags!" Shepard barked at the lowly private who Shepard could tell was scared more than anything due to the sheer terror on his face. "You signed on to be here, to protect the Alliance by whatever means necessary. Each and every one of you. I know a lot of you have doubts but I promise that if you follow my lead than you will make it home to see your family." Shepard said looking around at her company. "Now, Retreat?!"

"_HELL!"_ the rest of the company barked.

"Alright, on my go." Shepard ordered "3…2…1… GO" As Shepard said the one syllable word that had everyone on edge, Bravo Squad leaped up from the trenches and advanced towards the outpost that they were ordered to arm with explosives. The rest of the company provided covering fire at the Batarians who were doing all in their power to keep the Alliance at bay. After about five minutes of covering fire Alice could see that Bravo Squad had made it to their objective.

"_Commander, we've made it to the warehouse with no casualties and we're arming the explosives now."_ Sergeant Hendrickson said over the radio.

"Roger that. Arm it and double time it back here right away." Shepard said over the radio, just as she said that Batarian dropship was deploying troops on the opposite side of the warehouse to prepare for a counter-attack. "Watch your ass! You've got a dropship deploying more troops to your location."

"_Roger that ma'am! Bravo Squad take your positions and prepare for a counter-attack, Lowe keep arming the explosives we'll cover you!" _The sergeant said over the radio.

* * *

"We're gonna have a lot of company in the next few minutes!" The sergeant shouted. "I want you 4 to take positions over there." Hendrickson said pointing to the group of boxes that had great defensive opportunities. "You 3 form a defensive perimeter around Private Lowe. I don't want a single batarian within 20 feet of him. The rest of you, take positions along this route. Weapons and ammo check!"

"Team 1 locked and loaded!"

"Second team, popped, lock, and ready rock sir!"

"Roger that. And it has been my pleasure to serve with each and every one of you. God help us all." Just as Hendrickson finished the door on the far side of the room and Batarians came pouring in.

"Contact!" Someone shouted as not even a second later the room erupted in gunfire from both directions. A private from the first team threw a grenade and blew about 3 batarians to pieces. Hendrickson was moving cover to cover checking on each team, he got to team 2 who were defending Lowe when a stray bullet flew through the box and pierced Lowe in the shoulder. He heard multiple screams for medics as casualties increased. "Commander, we're taking heavy casualties and Lowe took one in the shoulder we need a medic ASAP." The radio was silent for a few seconds when he heard Shepard come back over the radio.

"_Roger we're sending one to your position."_

* * *

"Bravo Squad needs a medic on the double, who's up?" Shepard said looking at the rest of the company. A few minutes of silence than what seemed like a familiar voice came from the distance. It just happened to be Shepard's fiancée, Derrick O'Callahan, who was serving in the company. "No I can't let you go. You mean everything to me."

"Alice you know I'm the best one medic you got. I have to." Derrick said grabbing Shepard's hands "I promise I'll come back to you." With that Derrick leaped up from the trench and sprinted toward the warehouse to provide Bravo Squad with a medic. Shepard's company provided covering fire for Derrick. Grenades were being tossed from trench to trench like it was nobody's business. What seemed like an eternity until a call came over radio.

"_Alice, Sergeant Hendrickson has just been killed. The explosive is armed but there is no way for us to remote detonate it. I'm afraid we'll have to manually detonate it."_ Just as he finished Alice's heart sank.

"No! You can't, you made me a promise!" Alice said tears streaming down her face as she was sobbing like an infant.

"_I know and I'm sorry. Listen I don't have much time, the batarians are gaining ground and we can't hold it much longer. I love you Alice and I'm sorry"_

"I love you too Derrick…" Alice said crying than she felt the shockwave of the explosion and knew what had just happened and her she begin to feel sorrow, grief, and revenge. Her grief turned to anger, she turned and grabbed her rifle. "Johnson, Ludwig, Zogheb give me what ammo and grenades you have left." Shepard barked looking at the three privates who did as they were told. She took the magazines and grenades and stuffed into her armor. In the blink of an eye she jumped over the trench and charged to the opposite Batarian stronghold guns blazing while lobbing grenades. She broke down the door and tossed two grenades and killed 5 batarians who looked like they were high-ranking officers. She was burning through ammo like there was no tomorrow. She took down 15-20 batarians before she ran out of ammo, when her she heard the last click of her magazine she switched to her omni-blade and began slashing at the rest of the batarians. Just as she killed the last batarian, a lieutenant walked into the room and found three surrendering batarians behind some boxes who threw down their weapons. Without hesitation she slew the defenseless aliens with her omni-blade watching their blood pour out onto the floor than spitting on their bodies. Alice took one look at the green 2nd Lieutenant and just walked out. She returned to the trench where the rest of her company was and all of them were staring at her intently. Alice took what she had and left for HQ looking for a ride off of Torfan.

* * *

Alice woke up as she was startled by her nightmare. Ashley was still sleeping and Alice gently lifted her up and put her on the nearby pillow. Alice got up and went to the bathroom and locked the door so no one could see her ready to break out in tears. She looked into the mirror only to remember that dreadful night on the moon of Torfan. She could hear the screams from those in the warehouse that were killed by the charging batarians. _"12 soldiers, 12 good soldiers died because of me…"_ she thought looking into the mirror and tears streaming down her face "…_and they weren't even given a goddamn proper military burial."_ By now Alice was sobbing with a look of sheer grief on her face. "Goddamn it." Alice said as she slammed her fist down on the sink and almost broke it. Ashley woke up startled only to find that she was in the bed by herself and looked at the clock; it read 3:30 AM. She heard something faint coming from the bathroom as Ash got closer she could hear Alice in the bathroom crying.

"Alice, are you in there?" Ash said knocking on the door quietly.

Alice quickly wiped the tears from her face and unlocked the door to let Ashley in. "Yeah I'll be out in a sec." Ashley heard the door unlock and opened it to find Alice looking into the mirror and a dent in the sink.

"Hey, how are you doing?" Ash said softly as she went behind Alice and hugged her.

"I'm just…" Alice said almost ready to break out in tears again as her face clenched up but she held it back in front of Ashley. "…remembering what happened on Torfan with what had happened. I killed surrendering batarians in rage, sent a squad to their deaths, sent my fiancée to his death." Alice couldn't hold back and she turned around and cried into Ashley's arms.

"That wasn't your fault Alice. You couldn't have known any of that." Ash said holding Alice tightly as there was almost nothing she could do right now.

"I should've known what I sent them to. I was their Commanding Officer, I should've known goddamn it." Alice said wiping the tears from her face once again and looking at the mirror once again. "It should've been me who died. Not him, they gave me praise, awards, a promotion, and a new ship. Now people look at me as the 'Butcher of Torfan'. None of it would help me bring Derrick back. It should've been me that night, not him." Alice said

Ash grabbed her lightly and turned her around "Don't say things like that. If it wasn't for you, I would be lying on the ground dead with every soldier of my unit on Eden Prime. If it wasn't for you, Tali would also be dead in some back alley in the wards on the Citadel. The only one who's going to be able to stop Saren is you." Ash finally finished taking her chin and lifting it up so they met eye to eye.

Before Ash was able to say something else Alice cut her off "Ash, I can't lose someone that close to me again." Alice said hesitating "You're the first person since Derrick I've been this close to. I'm afraid if you get too close something might happen to you. I can't lose you too Ash. Make me a promise Ash."

"Anything for you."

"Promise me you'll come back when this is all over." Alice said looking into Ash's eyes.

"I promise."

"Thank you, Ash you mean everything to me." Alice said brushing Ash's long hair out of her face.

"I know that." Ash said smiling at her.

"I think it's time we go back to bed. We've got Noveria ahead of us tomorrow."

"I think you're right it's going to be a long day tomorrow." Ash said as they both walked over to the bed, both laying back down in it.

"Good night Ash." Alice said kissing her forehead.

"Good night Commander." About five minutes later Ash fell asleep.

"_Tomorrow's going to be hell on Noveria."_ Alice thought to herself rolling over and looking at Ash who looked like a goddess. "I love you, Ash." Alice said whispering quietly making sure not to wake her. She put her arms around her fell sound asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys this was originally going to be broken up into 2 chapters but just decide to mash it together. Hope you guys like it. The events before the Virmire mission. Leave a review if you like or just shoot me an email at _zludwig95 yahoo or luddy1941 . _Thanks for the positive feedback and I hope you like this Chapter as well. Also I do not own the properties of_ Apple or Lucasfilm_ or any other copyright thing in the Chapter.**

* * *

Alice woke up startled to the sound of the alarm clock on her phone. Like every other person in the military, she woke up to the sound of Reveille at the ass crack of dawn. She found that Ashley was not in the bed with her thinking she got up earlier and went to go have breakfast. Alice grabbed her phone which she had just gotten yesterday, the new iPhone 25, and jumped out of bed towards the dresser to find some sweatpants and a hoodie and headed for the mess deck. She went towards the serving area and grabbed a tray.

"What's on the menu this morning, Hutch?" Alice said walking up to the line where Petty Officer 2nd Class Adrian Hutch was cooking.

"The same usual shit ma'am. Oatmeal, slice of bread, and a choice between OJ or Apple Juice."

"Typical Alliance. I'll see if I can requisition some pancake batter or something and have something different for breakfast."

"That would be great Commander, also can you see if you can some steaks for dinner or something?"

"Yeah sure I'll see what I can do. As you were."

"Yes, ma'am." Hutch said as she walked out of the serving line to find a table which wasn't hard for two reasons. One, everyone always gave their seat to the Commanding Officer, and two, not many liked to sit with the Commander other than a few of the higher-ranking enlisted and officers. Alice walked over to find an empty chair at table that had Garrus, Ashley, Wrex and Kaiden. She took a seat and began eating.

"Hey guys how's it going?" the Commander asked the rest of the group. She heard the basic "I'm fine" speech. "How's the Mako looking Garrus?"

"After a few repairs to the main cannon and engine, it should be fine for Noveria." Garrus said "Tali also made some adjustments the armor so it can withstand the cold."

"Sounds great. How's the armament looking Williams?" Shepard said turning away from Garrus over to Ash.

"Looks good, Commander. We are running short on grenades so I'll see if we can requisition some more after the mission." Ash said smiling at the Commander.

"Very well." Alice giving her a respectful nod.

"No need to act all formal to Williams in front of the crew, Shepard." Wrex said as he broke the silence.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ash said from the other side of the table sounding defensive.

"You know exactly what I mean." Wrex said "The whole crew already knows of your guys little secret. No need to try and play it off."

"In front of the crew, it is pertinent that I follow regulations and not to pick favorites on who or what I decide. What I do off-duty is my own. I'm not trying to 'play it off'." Shepard said intervening

"Alright whatever what you do behind closed doors is not my business." Wrex said getting up from the table and leaving.

"I swear to God that he is a pain in the ass." Shepard said as she made sure Wrex was not within earshot.

"He's a Krogan, what else do you expect?" Garrus said with a slight smirk on his face.

"Yeah, yeah I know." Alice said. She finished her food and went back to her quarters. She threw off the sweatshirt and sweatpants and threw them into the laundry. She grabbed a training bra and some standard Alliance PT gear and headed for the gym. After about an hour of working out she got a call over the comm.

"Urgent message coming in Commander." Joker said over the comm

"Alright thanks Joker, I'll take it in the comm room." Alice said jumping off the treadmill and headed toward the comm room in the CIC.

* * *

"Patching it through."

"Commander, we have received some sort of transmission from a Salarian STG team operating in the field." The Asari Counselor said looking at the Commander who had not bothered to change out of her PT gear.

"What did the transmission state exactly?" Alice questioned

"That is what we want you to figure out, Commander. It was being broadcasted from the planet Virmire. We lost the transmission only a few hours ago." The Salarian counselor confirmed

"Roger that I'll set a course for it on the Galaxy map."

"I can only hope that you can prove up to the task." The Turian counselor grunted as the Council transmission disappeared.

"One day, I'm going to teach him why not to mess with me." Alice said walking out of the room. "Joker plot a course for Virmire, we need to see what the fuck is so urgent."

"Roger that Commander, we'll be there in a few hours."

"Got it." Alice said heading back down to the gym only to find Ashley working out as well. _"By, god she's beautiful."_ Alice thought to herself as she looked at the perfect figure working out before her. All Alice was able to do was just stare at Ash looking at the gracious ass and tits that were before her. _"Her ass fits perfectly in those booty shorts"_ Alice said once again thinking to herself _"and her nice plump tits bouncing up and down."_ Alice could feel her pussy getting wet but she knew that she was going to have to wait to get into Ash's pants.

"Hey Commander, how's it going?" Ash said smiling as Alice got on the treadmill next to her.

"Hey, Ash I didn't see you down here 20 minutes ago." Alice said as she began her jogging

"Yeah I just thought I'd change my mind and keep my body in shape." Ash said as she grabbed the remote and turned on the nearest TV.

"Hey, you don't see me complaining." Alice said as she took the remote from Ash and began flipping through the tens of thousands movie channels trying to find something worth watching. She found _Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith_ and decided to put on the TV.

"Hey, I was watching that." Ash said as Alice switched the channel from watching Law and Order to Star Wars.

"And now you're not." Shepard said with a devilish grin.

"Ughh, but I hate this one."

"Too bad. Besides it could be the 7th one that Disney released. Now that one sucked."

"Alright whatever, I'm too tired to argue with you." Ash said jumping off the treadmill "I'm going to take a shower and wash up then take a nap before the mission." Alice was about to say something before Ash cut her off by saying "Alone." Ash walked out of the room with an evil smile while Alice was still jogging. After about twenty minutes Shepard got off the treadmill, turned off the TV, and headed for her quarters where she was going to take a shower. Women being women took forever in the shower, so it was about another half hour later before Alice got out of the shower. She looked at the clock and it read about 1:00 P.M. she had about another hour and a half to kill before the mission so she decided to jump on the computer and play, _Star Wars: The Old Republic_, which was one of her favorite games to play. The Old Republic was still popular among Star Wars enthusiasts even 100 years after it was made. She had about 4 different characters when she logged on. She had a Republic Trooper, Sith Warrior, Bounty Hunter, and Jedi Knight. She played on the trooper character for obvious reasons. Alice lost track of time while playing when Joker called over the comm.

"20 minutes out from Virmire, Shepard. Better get the team in the briefing room."

"_Shit, I'm so close to leveling up."_ Alice thought to herself. "Alright thanks Joker." Alice logged off and headed toward the briefing room.

* * *

"Alright ladies and gents, here's the skinny." Shepard said as she brought up a map. "We'll be dropped in the Mako here." Alice said pointing towards an open area about 10 klicks from the Salarian camp. "The Salarian Camp is projected to be here about 10 klicks from the LZ. We've got word that there is a comm tower that is blocking transmissions. There are also anti-air cannons that we need to eliminate before Joker can land the Normandy. Joker, once the comm tower and anti-air cannons are destroyed you're gonna give me a location on the camp. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am." Joker announced over the conn.

"Good. Kaiden and Garrus you're coming down in the Mako." The two respected soldiers gave each other respected looks. "Wrex I want you on standby in case something happens. Besides it's hard trying to fit your fat ass inside the Mako anyway." Shepard said chuckling which in turn made the rest of the group chuckle.

"Yeah well usually it's my fat ass that ends up saving your scrawny little ass." Wrex said with a smirk.

"You got a point there Wrex." Shepard said grinning "Anyway, everyone knows their assignments?"

A mix of "Yes ma'am" most likely from Ash and Kaiden since they were both pure military and a few "You got it Shepard."

"Alright you have your assignments let's get to work." Alice said walking down to her personal locker to get the shit she needed. She found a note on the locker that was just recently written.

_**Hey there Commander,**_

_**Just thought you should be prepared for this mission so I requisitioned the new Mantis X armor. Also I packed in there the new prototype Predator pistol. No need to ask how I got them, I've got a few friends at Alliance R & D. Stay safe out there Alice I want someone to come back to.**_

_**From your friend and lover**_

_** Ash**_

Alice just looked at it and smiled as she put it in her pocket for safekeeping. She grabbed the new armor and prototype pistol and headed for the loading bay to climb into the Mako with Kaiden and Garrus.

"Alright Joker, hit it!" Alice said as in a second's moment the Mako soar out of the docking bay like a freak of nature and hit the ground as the Normandy flew to a safer distance away from the cannons.

"Drop successful." Joker answered.

"That it was. Keep the Normandy at a safe distance until we take out those cannons." Alice stated as she started up the Mako.

"You got it Commander." Joker said as he heard the Mako roar to life over the radio than just got nothing but static. "Shit the jamming tower. That's up to Shepard."

"Comm's down guys and we won't get it back up until we hit that comm tower so let's hustle." Alice said as she floored the accelerator on the Mako. She looked out the slot that was the window and saw geth patrol drones. "We got geth gentlemen. Jump on the turrets and take them out."

"Roger that Commander." Both Garrus and Kaiden said in unison. The burstfire from the turret quickly dispatched the small patrol droids.

"That means we got geth here. Everyone keep your head up and your eyes peeled." The Commander said eyes glued to the environment as she looked for possible ambush routes all while somehow being able to control the Mako properly. After more pockets of geth, this time troopers, they reached the comm tower and they all filed out of the Mako and headed for the nearest cover. "Kaiden I need those charges so I can blow the comm tower to kingdom come." Kaiden handed Alice the charges "Alright you two give me covering fire while I make a dash for the tower." Shepard sprinted out of cover toward the communications tower that was jamming their signal, just as she darted out of cover Kaiden and Garrus both popped out of cover and provided for the Commander who seems every mission has a death wish by going into impossible odds and still coming out in one piece. She planted the bomb and set the charges for thirty seconds and sprinted as fast as she can back to cover waiting for the tower to blow. The shockwave almost blew the rock the three of them were sitting behind away than heard Joker over the radio.

"Shepard you there, come on Commander." Joker asked over the radio.

"Miss me Joker?" Alice said with a grin knowing he would get a kick out of it "Comm towers destroyed heading for the cannons now." She motioned for the other two to get back into the Mako which had some scorch marks from geth plasma fire. "We'll radio back in when we knock out the guns."

"Roger that. Standing by until then." Joker said as he shut off the radio until that time. Alice jumped into the Mako and started it again and began to drive off to the anti-air cannons. Some destruction and a little detour later the team reached the cannons.

"Alright guys we move as a team and -" she didn't finish the statement as a rocket from a geth rocket trooper hit the Mako and almost blew a hole in the side of it. "Shit heads. As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted by the asshole out there. We move as a team, do not pull a 'Leroy Jenkins' or so help me God that you will not know the meaning of pain until I'm done with you. Is that understood?" She saw both of them nod as more gunfire kept scorching the side of the Mako. "This is going to need a new paint job once we're done with this. Keep your distances guys. No one needs to pull any heroics. Alright let's move." Alice leaped out of the Mako and was almost struck with plasma shot in the head "Not going through that again." She grunted and headed for the nearest rock she could find that provided adequate cover. She saw Kaiden and Garrus both make it out unscathed and motioned for them to move and head for the anti-air cannons. The plan was going accordingly until they encountered a colossus in front of the controls.

"Hit the deck, Colossus!" Garrus shouted as they all hit the nearest cover.

"Alright we need a plan to take this thing out." Alice said thinking for a moment "Garrus do we have enough explosives to take out the Colossus and the guns?"

"We should." Garrus said doubling checking his pack to make sure they had the needed explosives. "Yeah we got it."

"Alright you two use sabotage on the thing so it can't fire its cannon. I'll run under it and plant the explosives while the gums are disabled. I'll take out the controls for the cannons as well. Garrus toss me the satchel." Garrus reached around and tossed it to Shepard. "Alright let's get this done." As Shepard darted out of cover, Kaiden and Garrus popped up from above and sabotaged it's cannons to keep it from firing at the quickly moving Shepard. "I really got to stop doing this or I'm going to end up in a steel box." Alice said sprinting towards the Colossus. She saw the colossus get stunned and slid under it and threw a sticky grenade right where its central system was and gave it a few seconds to blow up. She saw the explosion in the corner of her eye and smirked, the cannon was the only thing standing in her way. Not like it was going to stop her, she kneeled down despite the overzealous gunfire and planted the sticky grenade at what seemed like the control point. She never paid any attention to that class in high school, she was always sleeping or texting her friends. She planted it and ran like a bat out of hell toward the cover where she could see Kaiden and Garrus giving her covering fire. It was a spectacular sight to witness with the guns now being offline.

"Anti-air cannon is offline, make your descend toward the Salarian Camp."

"Roger that, Commander. Making our descent." Joker said as he flew in low to find the makeshift camp.

"Alright gentlemen, lets track where the Normandy touched down and meet up there." The trio piled into the Mako and drove off toward the Normandy LZ suddenly Joker came on over the comm.

"Commander, we've got a problem here." Joker announced

"Of course we do. What is it Joker?"

"The Salarian Commander will tell you when you get here."

"Alright whatever. ETA is about 6 minutes." Shepard said disgruntled

"Roger, see you then." About 6 minutes later the Mako had finally reached the camp. It was more occupied than she had thought. She saw Ash who was seemingly talking to who seemed to be in charge.

* * *

"Captain Kirrahe, 5th Regimental STG." the captain said.

"I assume you're the one in charge here?" the Commander asked

"Yes, I am. Where is the rest of the fleet?" Kirrahe asked looking around and only seeing the one docked ship.

"Your transmission was garbled and was non understandable. The Council sent me to investigate. What's the rundown of the situation?"

"Saren seems to have a facility just over the wall. We've sent in scouts to investigate but I'm afraid they haven't returned." Kirrahe said looking over the horizon

"Seems we need to pay our old friend Saren a visit than. Isn't that right Commander?" Ash said looking at the Commander

"Not only has that but Saren seemed to have found a cure for the genophage. He's breeding an army of Krogan." Kirrahe said

"Shit, this isn't good at all." Shepard said

"The only plan we can come up with is to destroy the breeding facility." Kirrahe said but Wrex seemed to hear it and walked over towards the group of four.

"You cannot destroy the facility. He has found the cure for the genophage; we can't just destroy the facility." Wrex said getting tense about the whole situation that has just unfolded.

"We have to or we'll have another Krogan Rebellions on our hands. Clearly the Krogan were a mistake." Kirrahe said

"We are not a mistake." Wrex said looking the Salarian captain in the eye who was clearly not backing down from Wrex's intimidation. Wrex stomped off toward the far end of the beach and started blasting his shotgun into the dirt.

"We need to destroy the facility. We have a bomb made from the materials we have but there is no way we can place it inside."

"The Normandy is standing by ready to assist. We can help load the bomb onto the ship and clear a path into the heart of the facility and blow it sky high." The Commander said

"That could work." Kirrahe said thinking about what to say next "You will not like what I'm about to ask you Commander."

"You're probably right. What is it anyway?"

"I'm afraid I need an extra hand from your crew to help lead on of my squads."

"You're right that is a bold request and I don't like it but I understand why you need one." Shepard said nodding her head in agreement. "Who do you want?"

"It is up to you Commander."

"Give me a minute then with my squadmates."

"Of course, Commander."

Shepard turned away from the captain and around to Ash and Kaiden. "Alright you guys you heard the Captain. One of you needs to go with him, who's it going to be?"

"I will, Commander. I'm combat oriented than the LT. You need Kaiden for his biotics and tech against the geth and Krogan." Ash said looking at both Kaiden and Shepard.

"With all due respect chief, it's not your place to decide. I volunteer; I've had more experience in the field than Ash."

"Why does every time some says 'With all due respect' they really mean 'Kiss my ass'." Ash said sounding ticked off.

"Ash," Kaiden said looking at Ashley "this could be a one way trip for whoever leads them. The Commander can't lose you. If this is a one way trip than I want the Commander to have someone to come back to. She cares about you, let me take this one."

There was silence for about a minute than Ash finally spoke up "You're right, you can take charge." Kaiden gave Alice a nod and turned back to the Salarian Captain.

"Alright, Captain I've made my decision. You will take Lieutenant Alenko here as one of your Squad Commanders."

"Thank you Commander. Give me a few minutes with my men then come find me at the other tent. If you need supplies look for Commander Rentola in the supply tent just over there." Kirrahe said walking away.

"That's that then." Alice said "Kaiden, if you do anything stupid to get yourself killed I'll kill you myself okay?"

"Yes ma'am." Kaiden said smiling

"Hey Commander, I think you should talk to Wrex." Ash said

"Yeah you're probably right. Ash, in case he blows his fuse I want you standing by. Only on my signal though."

"You got it ma'am." Ash said taking her place on the far side of the tent prepping her sniper rifle.

Alice walked over to Wrex where he was still blasting shells into the sand "This isn't right Shepard and you know it." Wrex said hearing Alice come over to him.

"I know it isn't Wrex but it's the only way."

"That's bullshit Shepard." Wrex said turning to Alice "We're talking about my entire race here Shepard. You're going to have to choose."

"Wrex we have to blow the facility."

"Help me out here Shepard the lines between friend and foe are getting pretty blurry from where I stand." Wrex said pulling out his shotgun.

"Wrex, you don't want to do this." Alice said pulling out her shotgun as well

"If I can't trust you than I just might have to kill you."

"Wrex you can't be serious about this. Those aren't your people in there; they're Saren's pets and you have to be smart about this. Don't make me regret bringing along. We have to see eye to eye here. They are not true Krogan, this is your last chance here Wrex." Alice said getting ready to signal Ash as the rest of the camp watched in silence at what was unfolding.

"You're right Shepard. We need to destroy that facility, they are not true Krogan." Wrex said putting his shotgun away as did Shepard. "You better be right about this Shepard. I better not regret this."

"Don't worry Wrex, I won't." Shepard said as she signaled Ash to stand down. Ash did just that and packed up her sniper rifle and headed back toward the beachhead where Kaiden was. The camp just took a huge sigh at the disaster that had just been avoided.

"Hey LT, that was a close one wasn't it?" Ash said walking over to Kaiden

"Yeah I wouldn't have imagined if Wrex had exploded. Glad Shepard was able to talk him down." Kaiden said sounding relieved.

"Yeah she is a piece of work." Ash said chuckling while looking at Alice who was walking around the camp checking on the rest of the crew.

"Speaking of which, how are the two of you doing?" Kaiden asked

"Things couldn't be better right now." Ash said "She still tries to get in my pants but she's gonna have to wait." She said that with a slight chuckle

"How long is she going to have to wait?" Kaiden questioned

"Until I'm good and ready."

"Which is when?"

"I don't kiss and tell Kaiden." Ash said looking at him

"You're such a tease." Kaiden said laughing

"Yeah I know. Anyway you ready for what's going to come?" Ash said changing the subject.

"No, none of us are for what's about to happen. We have no idea who or what is in there other than Krogan which are bad enough. To be honest, the Salarians are going to get slaughtered in there. We have no idea if any of us are coming out of there alive." Kaiden said looking at the horizon.

"Don't say that we're all coming back and once we kill this Turian son of bitch than we are going to take time off and party. Sound like a plan LT?"

"That it does but I can't dance."

"Neither can Shepard and I'm going out with her."

"True, that is true." Kaiden said showing a smirk that quickly disappeared "If I die then promise me that you'll take good care of the Commander. Don't let her do anything foolish like rescuing me if I get bogged down."

"You got it Kaiden. Same for me alright?"

"I promise and if I'm up there and you're not just remember that I'm always looking out for you two."

"Alright but if we all do get out of this alive than you're buying the first round of drinks."

"Deal." Kaiden said hugging Ash, just than Shepard came over.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Shepard said coming over after talking with Garrus.

"Not much, Commander nice going with Wrex I thought for sure I was going to have to take the shot." Ash said

"Yeah I was afraid it was going to get ugly but Wrex is smarter than he looks. I'm glad he saw reason." Shepard said looking over at Wrex where he just eying down the facility in the distance.

"It would've been hard to take the shot." Ash said

"I thought you were biased against aliens, Ash." Kaiden interrupted

"I guess you could say that I'm starting to come around with being at the Commander's side and all." Ash shrugged

"That's good to hear Ash, now if you'll excuse me I need to go brief the Captain." Alice said walking over to the command tent. Alice talked over the plan of attack with Captain Kirrahe and then the Captain briefed his men and gave a speech.

"**You all know the mission, and what is at stake.  
I have come to trust each of you with my life - but I have also heard murmurs of discontent. I share your concerns.  
We are trained for espionage; we would be legends, but the records are sealed. Glory in battle is not our way.  
Think of our heroes; the Silent Step, who defeated a nation with a single shot. Or the Ever Alert, who kept armies at bay with hidden facts.  
These giants do not seem to give us solace here, but they are not all that we are.  
Before the network, there was the fleet. Before diplomacy, there were soldiers!  
Our influence stopped the rachni, but before that we held the line!  
Our influence stopped the krogan, but before that, we held the line!  
Our influence will stop Saren; in the battle today, we will hold the line!"**

"Commander, if you Lieutenant is ready than we shall proceed." Kirrahe said

"We are Captain, just say the word and we'll give it all we can."

"Good, we just need some extra hands to get the bomb loaded onto the ship."

"Roger that." Shepard said motioning to two crewmembers to help with the bomb and she turned back around to Ashley and Kaiden.

"Alright Kaiden, you ready?"

"Not really but we all have a duty to do so let's get to it." Kaiden said with a shrug locking and loading his rifle.

"You got Kaiden good luck and god bless. Remember don't do anything stupid out there."

"You too ma'am." Kaiden said rendering a salute with Alice saluting back.

"Alright ladies and gents." Alice said motioning for the rest of the squad to form up "Here is how it's going to go, Lieutenant Alenko and Captain Kirrahe are going to lead three squads to the front of the facility."

"But that's suicide, they'll get slaughtered. There has to be another way." Liara said

"There are no other way guys. They know the risk and hopefully they'll buy us enough time. Wrex and Ashley, you two are with me on this one." Alice looking at both Ashley and Wrex "We storm the facility from the back while possibly finding ways help the Salarian squads. We enter the facility and find an LZ to destroy it. Once we do that we time the bomb, pick up the Salarians, and get the hell out of dodge. Sound good?"

"_Yes ma'am!" _the group shouted

"Alright let's get this party started." Alice said leaving the room with Wrex and Ashley, they found a back wall and hopped it hopefully no geth saw them.

"Time to crack some heads." Ash cocking back her rifle.


	8. Chapter 8

**So again I'm so sorry for this extremely late update but with school, senior trip, work, and trying to get into the Navy it's been hectic. I do not own any of the copyright thingy majigs. More so with the Irish Rock Band "Dropkick Murphys", which you guys should check out if you're reading this just saying though. So again sorry for the late update but here you go.**

* * *

There are some who believe violence is the key to every victory in a way, others believe that it is a tool used in a totalitarian government to keep the common folk in their place, and then there are those who believe that violence should not exist. Commander Alice Shepard believes that violence is used to bring balance and peace to the galaxy. Her mind was thinking this process while she is gunning down geth and Krogan allied with Saren.

"Shit!" she screamed as a plasma bolt hit the rock she was covering behind. Her mind switched modes in less than a second as she popped up from her cover and began spraying rounds at the charging Krogan. He dropped dead within a few feet of Shepard.

"Good shooting Shepard, thought he was going to get ya on that one." Wrex said putting another round through the krogan's cranium to make sure he was really dead.

"Yeah, a few seconds slower you would've been part of that piece of rock over there." Ash said pointing to the huge rockwall behind them all while chuckling at the subject.

"Yeah it wouldn't be as funny if you were I now wouldn't it." Shepard said with a smirk

"No, no I guess not." Ash said laughing all the meanwhile Wrex was on the lookout for incoming geth when a call was coming over the channel.

"Commander Shepard, this Captain Kirrahe come in over." Kirrahe said over the comm.

"We read you Captain, what's wrong?" Shepard said with her smirk disintegrating in a quick second.

"It would be a great help if you can find anyway to help us out from where you are." Shepard could hear the plasma fire over the comm. She thought for a second and looked around. She saw a communications tower in the distance.

"Wrex you head over to that comm tower and blow it sky high. Ash and I will provide covering fire for you from any incoming geth." Shepard said pointing over to the tower.

"On it, Shepard." Wrex said "Don't you two start fucking while I'm gone." He said with a sarcastic tone is his voice.

"Shut up and go blow shit up will ya?" Ash said not amused by the comment. Wrex trotted off in the distance toward the tower when geth started pouring out of the complex where the comm tower was. "Well shit."

"Things can never be easy can they?" Alice muttered to herself "Wrex you all good over there?"

"Of course I am. Your talking to me remember, these whelps don't stand against me." Wrex said. Alice saw Wrex rip the geth to pieces then after a few seconds they saw the tower go boom.

"Good work, Wrex. Now double time it over here." Alice said.

"Thanks for the help Commander. If you find anything that helps us in our run we could certainly use it." Kirrahe said.

"You got it, Captain. Shepard out, Shadow Team move out."

"Right with you boss." said Ash who was popped, lock, and ready to rock.

"Got it, Shepard." Wrex said in his deep tone. There were a few pockets of geth but nothing too serious whereas Alenko, Kirrahe, and the other Salarians were getting cut down. Every opportunity Shepard had to take out support systems that supplied the geth she took it. There was nothing too serious until they came up to the rear entrance of the base. It was heavily guarded with geth and Krogan.

"You've got to be shitting me. How the hell are we going to get inside?" Ash grunted

"Don't worry about that. We need to take out the ones guarding it, and then we can worry about getting inside." Shepard said looking at the field of view on who to the most priority of being taken out. "Alright so here's the plan Wre-"

"Commander Shepard, come in. Repeat Commander Shepard, come in." the captain said interrupting Shepard's plan of attack.

"Go for Commander Shepard, what's up Captain?"

"The rocket drones we just encountered just left to refuel. If you could see where their supply depot is and take it out, then we would be grateful." Kirrahe said

"You got it, Captain. Commander Shepard out, alright change of plans. We need to find and hit that supply depot." Shepard said

"Well look its right there." Wrex said pointing past a couple of rocks

"That was easy." Ash said "So what do we know?"

"Wrex you hit 'em with everything you got with your biotics." Wrex just nodded in agreement "Ash you and will flank them from the other side in case they try to make a run for it. Everyone got it?" they both nodded in agreement "Remember once we hit this, the whole base will be on alert so be prepared. On the count of three. One…two…three!" Wrex threw his biotics towards the canisters that contained the explosive material which the drones were resupplying under. A few tried to escape the area but were cut down by Ash and Shepard who picked them one by one while covering Wrex. The supply depot was destroyed which lightened the resistance on Kirrahe and Kaiden.

"Captain Kirrahe this is Commander Shepard, the supply depot has been successfully neutralized."

"We see the smoke Commander, thanks for the support. See you on the far side, Kirrahe out." Before Shepard had time to reorganize and go over a new plan the geth and Krogan were already firing upon them with everything from rockets to biotics.

"You've got to be shitting me!" Shepard cursed

"Well looks there is only one thing to do." Wrex said with a devilish grin

"Time to kick some ass." Ash said cocking back her rifle

"You said it Ash, oorah." Shepard said with a grin "Alright here's the plan Wrex you go down the middle and slam them into the ground with your biotics. Ash you sweep to the right and take down any stragglers that Wrex missed. I'll sweep down the left and watch you guys six. Understood?" They both nodded in agreement. "Alright let's do this. And remember no heroics." They each got up from the small rock that they were hiding behind and immediately began to fire at the approaching geth. Wrex swept down the middle clearing away geth with his biotics, every few geth appeared a krogan but Wrex wasn't fazed by it and quickly took it down. Ash was keeping the pace with Wrex making sure some weren't sneaking behind him. She took one down that was taking aim at Wrex with a rocket but was cut down before he had a chance to fire.

Just as Ash took down the rocket firing geth, she heard a click of a rifle behind her from a Krogan. She turned around and thought that she was well and truly fucked. Just as he was about to pull the trigger his head exploded. She looked around and saw Shepard a few hundred feet away. Ash nodded in thanks and went back to covering Wrex. The rear entrance to the compound was now clear of hostiles; all that was left to do was get inside. Ash saw a control panel that allowed them to hack into the base and send off an alarm but there was another possibility to have an alarm that goes off on the front of the base which would make inside less crowded but make it harder for the Salarians out front. Shepard had to make a choice and she had to make it now.

"Ash, hack into their systems and open the door."

"Won't that alert more of them inside the base?" Ash said walking over to the console

"Yeah but it'll lighten things up for the Salarians and Alenko up front." Shepard said motioning for Wrex to look out while Ash hacks the console.

"You got it boss, whatever you say." Ash hit a few of the multi-colored holographic buttons then there was gust of wind that came when the door opened.

"Alright you guys know the drill. 3 meter spread and no heroics." Each of them filed in one by one each covering the person behind them. Once they entered the facility the alarm was already sounding and each of them spread out a few meters still within ear and eyeshot. Within minutes of entering the facility the geth were already swarming into the room they were in each of them were already pinned down. Ash and Wrex managed to avoid the plasma fire and find Shepard's cover who was in turn providing suppressing fire for Wrex and Ashley.

"Shepard to Kirrahe, we've entered the facility but are encountering heavy resistance. Repeat we are encountering heavy resistance."

"Roger that Commander, we're barely holding are own here. The geth seemed to have dropped in numbers in the past few minutes. Any idea why?" Kirrahe said over the radio you could hear the plasma fire in the background.

"Yeah because they're all in here. Ash, take out that rocket now!" Shepard was practically screaming into the radio because she could barely hear over what was unfolding around here. Rockets and plasma fire were crackling all around them.

"Rocket's taken down Shepard." Ash shouted over the flailing gunfire. Ash suddenly felt pain coursing through her body and when she finally looked down she was excessively bleeding that looked like it was never going to stop. She slumped to the floor in defeat and wondered if this was going to be the end for her. Just then she looked up and saw Shepard.

"Hang on, Ash you're going to make it. Wrex cover me!" Shepard said pulling out her med kit out of her pack. Rummaging through her kit she grabbed bandages to try and stop the bleeding. "Shit cut right through the femoral artery." Shepard cursed to herself. She covered the wound as best as she could, Ash was turning pale so she had to quickly. She injected Ashley with medi-gel and waited for it to take effect. Ash's view was beginning to blur but eventually she was saved by Shepard who was still standing over her with a look of encouragement supporting her all the way.

"Hey, thanks Shepard." Ash said finding it hard it stand up

"You shouldn't stand up with that leg; give it a little while to heal." Shepard said putting her hand on Ash's face then grabbed her hand and looked her in the eye "I would do anything for you; you will not be another victim of this countless war. I love you Ash."

"I love you too Shepard." Ash said as she was tearing up from all the emotion

"Shepard, we got a problem!" Wrex shouted "Look." He pointed over to the doorway that had a Geth Prime standing in it.

"Shit, alright I'll distract it by going to the right while Wrex you sneak up the left and take it down with the biotics."

"You got it, Shepard. Time for some fun." Wrex said chuckling with an evil laugh

"Ash, you stay here and heal." Ash nodded in agreement at Shepard "Alright Wrex let's do this." After dealing with the geth prime, Shepard helped Ash up onto her feet and walked it off. She felt as good as new. They all left to shut down the Anti-Aircraft that was preventing the Normandy from landing. After encountering a few geth here and there they finally reached the AA cannon. When they got there they happened to meet an Asari named Rana Thanoptis who claimed not to be indoctrinated by Saren. After a short conversation she led them to a lab that was able to shut down the cannon but there was something else there as well. A presence that Shepard had before, she looked around and saw another Prothean beacon like the one they encountered on Eden Prime. That's when the hologram appeared.

"This is not going to end well." Wrex said being the pessimist that he was.

"You are not Saren." The machine thing said.

"What is that, some kind of VI interface?" Ash said wondering what it was as well

"Rudimentary creatures of blood and flesh. You touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding. There is a realm of existence so far beyond your own, you cannot even imagine it. I am beyond your comprehension. I am Sovereign." The menacing voice said known as Sovereign

"This is some bullshit right here. This is what Saren was talking about?" Wrex said with a grunt "I thought Reapers looked tougher."

"Reaper? A label created by the Protheans to give voice to their destruction. What they chose to call us is irrelevant. In the end, we simply are." Sovereign said

"The Protheans vanished over 50,000 years ago. There is no way you were there." Ash said sounding nervous.

"How were you created, where are you from?" Shepard said questioning the machine

"We have no beginning. We have no end. We are infinite. Millions of years after your civilization has been eradicated and forgotten, we will endure. We are legion. The time of our return is coming. Our numbers will darken the sky of every world. We are eternal. The pinnacle of evolution and existence. Before us, you are nothing. Your extinction is inevitable. We are the end of everything."

"I'm still confused, Shepard do you have any idea what this thing is talking about?" Wrex said obviously not intimated by the machine.

"Nope not a clue." Shepard said

"You will all die like the others before you. Your death is inevitable we cannot be stopped." With that the machine disappeared.

"That scared the shit out of me. I vote we get out of here." Ashley said

"All you humans are pussies, not willing to stand and fight. You seriously can't think that that thing can stop us." Wrex said

"Doesn't matter now, we have to go find the site for the bomb." Shepard said interjecting

"Got your six boss-lady, just say the word." Ash said reaching for her rifle.

"Move out."

After a few battles later they had reached the perfect area for the bomb. "Normandy, LZ secured, bring her down so we can unload this bomb." Shepard said

"Roger that, starting our decent." Joker said and within a few moments the Normandy landed and some of the crew got out of the docking bay and helped unload the bomb. Shepard was guiding on where to put the bomb, she had a bad feeling that something was going to go wrong. She shrugged it off as nothing and got back to guiding the bomb. She had to find the perfect spot from where she was.

"Shepard, we got a problem here." Kaiden said over the comm and right then and there her heart sank.

"What is it Lieutenant?" Shepard asked

"We've got geth ready to overrun our position and there just isn't enough manpower." Kaiden said and Shepard could hear the explosions in the background.

"Alright hold tight I'm coming to you." Shepard said assuring Kaiden that she was coming

"Roger holding position."

"Shepard, you go help out the LT I'll handle things from here." Ash said. Shepard was confident that Ash was more than up to the task but she couldn't risk losing her.

"Alright but just don't do anything stupid like get yourself killed." Shepard said looking at Ash in the eyes. Shepard signaled for two of Normandy crew members to cover her while she arms the bomb.

"Wrex and Tali you're with me." Shepard said as the three of them walked off to find Kaiden and the rest of the Salarians. Shepard turned around to look at Ash with a look of affection; Ash nodded and started to work on the bomb. Shepard and her team walked through the large passageway to find Geth and Krogan setting up an ambush. Alice and her team quickly dispatched the botched ambush set up by Saren's forces.

"Kaiden, sitrep over." Alice said walking out of an elevator leading to Kaiden's position.

"I'm heavily pinned down, the Salarians already pulled out. I stayed to cover their escape. I'm not going- Wait Chief watch your ass, you've got a geth dropship inbound on your position." Kaiden announced over the open channel.

"Shit, I see 'em LT. O'Reilly, Johnson cover me while I finish with this thing." Ash said

"There's too many of them Chief! AHHH!" O'Reilly said as he screamed in pain.

"I'll finish disarming the bomb Shepard, you go help Alenko." Ash said while in the background explosions were going off.

"Belay that! Shepard you know what's right go back and save the one you love." Kaiden said

She was torn between the woman she loved and the man who was the most loyal she ever served with. This command was never easy to make, guess that's the perk of being in command. She hates to leave those who sacrificed their lives behind.

"Kaiden, I'm sorry…" Shepard said bringing a tear to her eye "...you were the best man ever to serve me. I'll be sure to give you a proper military burial. Ash, hold your ground we're on our way back down."

"But-I alright, standing by ma'am. Johnson take down that charging Krogan."

"I'll be alright Shepard. I'll see you on the other side pal, I'll save you a beer." Kaiden said just as an explosion cut out his earpiece. Shepard knew what he signed on for and looked back at the rising smoke. Shepard and her team were on their way down to the bomb site.

"Sitrep, chief."

"O'Reilly's KIA and Johnson is severely bleeding. I stabilized him as best I could but I don't think he's gonna make it." Ash said which Alice could tell she was about done by her shortness of breath.

"Alright, Tali and Wrex you stay here and provide suppressing fire while I go tend to Johnson." With a quick countdown Shepard sprinted to the side gulley where Johnson was. She could tell he was on his last breath by how flushed and pale his skin was.

"Hey, Johnson buddy you still with me?" Shepard said kneeling down next to him

"Yeah ma'am I'm still here, I'm gonna die aren't I?" Johnson said trying to lean up against the wall.

"Not while I have anything to say about it, now where you hit?" Shepard said while pulling out a few bandages

"In the chest ma'am." Johnson said now coughing up blood

"You're gonna be fine Marine." Shepard said pulling out more bandages.

Suddenly the gunfire stopped "Uhhh Shepard, we got a problem over here." Ash shouted

"Roger that, you're gonna be fine, just don't move Johnson. I'll send someone to help." Shepard said as the marine looked at her still bleeding even through the bandages. "Tali, get over here!" she shouted as she came trotting over to Shepard's position.

"Tali, I need you to keep an eye on him while I figure out the fuck Ash wants."

"You got it Shepard." Tali said kneeling down next to the wounded Marine "you're going to be fine."

Shepard trotted over to Ash's position "What is it Ash?" Just as Shepard said that she looked over the barrier to see the turian bastard known as Saren. "You've got to be shitting me. What do you want Saren?" she said leaning out of cover.

"You know what I want Shepard, you to stop interfering with my business. No sense in trying to stop me, what is coming is inevitable."

"You are blind, Sovereign has indoctrinated you. You have to see that!" Shepard said

"No! Sovereign has given me the power I need to rule the galaxy!"

"You're a puppet, if you won't stand down I will kill you." Shepard said stepping out of cover pulling out her pistol.

"You can try but you will fail." Saren said charging at Shepard. She quickly fired off a few bursts from her Predator pistol but the rounds deflected off of his shields. With a quick punch from Saren, Shepard was on the ground. With that Ash picked up a rifle and began firing bursts at Saren but that too bounced off his shields, and a throw from his biotics threw Ash against the wall unconscious. Shepard came to her senses and tried to run for the pistol but Saren tugged her at the feet and brought her to eye level. Something caught Saren's eye and without hesitation Shepard gave him a punch to the jaw knocking him off his hoverboard. He recovered and jumped back on his board and flew a couple feet above Shepard.

"What you're fighting is inevitable. It cannot be stopped." With that Saren flew away and Shepard went to go check up on Ashley who was still unconscious.

"Ash, you okay? Come on Ash stay with me." Shepard said checking for a pulse which she still had. "Normandy, we need an evac pronto!"

"Roger that Commander, starting our decent." Joker said over the frequency.

"Tali, how's he looking?" Shepard said looking over at Tali.

"He's passed out but he still has a pulse, without proper medical attention he won't make it."

"Got it covered, Doctor Chakwas is the best around." Shepard said as the Normandy landed "Joker alert medical we got two wounded, one critical."

"Roger that Shepard." Shepard walked up halfway and turned around to where Kaiden was and saw smoke rising from where his position was. She looked at the smoke as tears began to roll down her cheeks. She snapped out of it and frantically to the med bay.

"Doctor take Johnson first he's in critical condition."

"What happened down there?"

"Johnson took one to the abdomen while covering Ashley who was busy getting the bomb in place. Ashley took one in the leg but she'll be fine as I was able to stabilize her the best I could." Shepard said worried for both of here Marines.

"They'll be fine Shepard, I promise." Doctor Chakwas said as she motioned one of her corpsman to have Shepard leave the room. She left and walked up to the CIC and just stood out one of the windows and looked down at Virmire below as seconds later the bomb exploded. She looked down and just prayed for Kaiden to find peace wherever he was. Just then Garrus came up behind her and she quickly tried to hide her tears.

"I'm sorry, Shepard I know you cared about Kaiden and I can't even imagine of what you're going through." Garrus said trying his best to comfort the Commander. "You can't blame yourself for his death, it was him or Ashley and I know you, you wouldn't leave Ashley down there to die. If you need anyone to talk to I'm here." Garrus said

"Thanks Garrus, that means a lot." Shepard said turning around to give the turian a hug.

What felt like days was really only a couple hours with Shepard pacing around her quarters wondering the status of her Marines. She walked out of her cabin and headed toward the med bay. She found that Ashley was making a full recovery in only a few hours. Johnson wasn't as lucky though he was still unconscious.

"Shepard, you're here!" Ash said trying to get out of the bed but was having trouble with her leg "Oh, shit." Ash muttered under her breath as she almost fell but caught herself on her crutches.

"It's alright Ash stay where you are, I'll come to you." Shepard said casually walking over to her bed and giving her a hug and a kiss.

"I've missed you love." Ash said

"I missed you too." Shepard said letting go of her hug "Excuse me, Ash I need to check on Johnson." Shepard said walking to the other bed in the room.

"How's he doing doc?"

"Well we were able to get the bleeding stopped for now but he's got a collapsed lung and he's lost a lot of blood. He needs the more advanced medical personal on The Citadel if he's gonna survive." Doctor Chakwas said as she got up and walked over to the other side of the bed. Shepard looked at his vitals and saw them dropping slowly; she had studied some medicine in college and learned from her fiancé about being a combat medic. Ever since that unfortunate day she always carried a med kit with her into combat, if she hadn't brought her kit then Ash or Johnson would not be here right now.

"Alright, Doc I'll go up to the bridge and tell Joker to set course for The Citadel, besides I think everyone's earned a little shore leave." Shepard said leaving the med bay. Ash looked at her when she left and got up from her bed and hobbled ever so slowly over to Johnson's bed.

"You've known her longer than anyone else, has she always been like that after something like this happened?" Ash said looking over at Doctor Chakwas

"Yeah, pretty much after she lost Derrick, life for her has never been the same."

"Yeah I heard the story from Joker."

"Well then there's not much to tell. I can't even begin to describe how she feels after losing Kaiden." Ash looked at her and sat there quietly.

"I don't blame her, she's a good woman and even better soldier but nothing prepares you for losing someone under fire." Ash finally said.

"Well, at least she's got you." Chakwas said as Ash got up and walked over to her bed

"And I have her as well." Ash said to herself as she drifted off into sleep.

"Joker, set course for The Citadel, Johnson needs desperate medical attention and The Citadel is the only place that has that." Shepard said as she walked onto the bridge

"Roger that, Commander. How's Ashley by the way?" Joker said

"She's fine Joker, she'll be on crutches for a little while but she'll live."

"How are _you_ feeling Commander?" Joker asked

"I can't complain, well I can but I won't." Shepard said with a shrug

"That's not what I meant Shepard, how are you feeling about Kaiden?" Joker said not beading around the bush

Shepard was silent for a few minutes just staring out the cockpit window into the mysteries of space. "It's hard trying to live with it but I'm getting by. I wish there was more I could've done for him." Shepard said quietly

"There was nothing you could've done" Joker said as he turned around in his chair "he knew what he signed on for and what he was about to do. Did he have regrets about taking the mission, of course it's what goes through everyone's head."

"Thanks, Joker never thought I would get advice from a cripple." Shepard said leaving the bridge

"Yeah sure no problem smart ass!" Joker shouted as she was walking off the bridge over to her quarters. After about an hour the Normandy finally arrived on The Citadel.

* * *

"Normandy to Citadel we need to have a medical team standing by the docking bay, we have a man in critical condition that needs immediate medical attention. Repeat we have a man who needs immediate medical attention." Joker said over the frequency

"We copy Normandy, medical team standing by." The Citadel flight controller said

"Commander med team is standing by the docking bay."

"Roger that Joker. Doctor Chakwas bring Johnson up here on the double." Shepard announced over the comm. They brought Johnson up from the med bay and Shepard followed the doctors all the way to the hospital until she was turned away by one of the nurses in the trauma center.

"He'll be fine ma'am." The head nurse said "He's got the best doctors in the galaxy working on him."

"Yeah, sure, alright. Thanks again." Shepard said leaving the trauma center wondering where to go next. She saw a balcony that had a good view of the rest of the station so with that she sat down on a nearby bench and took a glance out into the stars and forgot all the problems in the universe. After a few minutes she felt someone touch her shoulder and almost jumped off the bench.

"Geez didn't realize you get startled that easy." Ash said with a laugh.

"Yeah, I don't get startled easily I just got lost in my thoughts." Shepard said "Anyway it's good to see you. How are you feeling?"

"Good to see you too and I'm feeling fine, some pain here and there but nothing too serious." Ash said sitting down next to Shepard.

"Figure everyone needs a little R & R after Virmire. Losing Kaiden, almost losing you and Johnson isn't doing too good for morale." Shepard said looking off into space

"Well I'm getting better and Johnson is going to get better." Ash said smiling and leaning onto Shepard

"Anyway, enough of that what do you want to do other than sitting here doing nothing?" Shepard said

"I don't know what is there to do?"

"We could go to the nearest bar and get shitfaced." Shepard said with a smirk

"I like that idea! Let's go!" Ash said standing up using her crutches and a little help from Shepard.

After about an hour ride they found an Irish pub that seemed to suit them just fine. Being Saint Patrick's Day, the place was swamped but that didn't seem bother the two of them. The day where everyone went to a bar and drank away their sorrows seemed perfect for the two soldiers. Drinking wasn't just something to do to get rid of your problems but it was also fun for others. When the two walked in it seemed like Shepard was in heaven but Ash wasn't too fond of the place but she just dealt with it. Besides by tomorrow she was going to be so hung-over that she wouldn't remember it.

"Wow, brings me back to the good times." Shepard said walking in and hearing Dropkick Murphy's in the background. She was stationed in Ireland on Earth a while back and brought back memories.

"This is interesting but yeah I guess this works." Ashley said finding a seat next to Shepard at the bar. Within minutes the two began drinking shots, every now and then there were fanatics that have never seen the great Commander Shepard that wanted an autograph. She shrugged it off as nothing since she was already used to signing autographs.

"Another!" Shepard said as she slammed the glass on the bar hard enough to almost break the glass

"Girl, I think you're drunk!" Ash said laughing enough to fall off her chair. There was so much noise that they could barely audible to each other. Ash was still on the floor laughing when a stranger helped her up and put her back in the chair. Suddenly one of Shepard's favorite songs came on the radio, Barroom Hero by Dropkick Murphys, she grabbed Ash by the arm and brought her closer and raised her glass.

"To those we love and those who have fallen." Shepard said raising her glass. After the toast was raised she started to sing along.

"…_**But the thoughts and prayers of a million strong might keep this fool from dying…"**_ as the whole bar sang along to the rest of the song. After the song was finished the pub became quiet and everyone looked at Shepard.

"A toast…" a voice from within the crowd said "... To those who have fallen are still in our thoughts. Our prayers are with you and your crew Commander."

"And I will give my life to protect you all." Shepard said

"But let's hope it doesn't come to that." Ash said interjecting with that the music came back on and there chaos ensued as it always did on Saint Patrick's Day. A few stools down a bar fight began to erupt which was normal with drunken idiots in a bar. The two paid no mind to it as a few hours later they were both shitfaced that neither of them should drive the shuttle so they decided to take a shuttle out of the bar and back to the ship.

Arriving back at to the ship was around 3 am and the two really needed some sleep. "Alright I'm going to bed." Shepard said walking down to her quarters "If you wanna come with me then I have no problem with it." Ash just followed her down to her quarters and the two undressed and then cuddled each other in bed for the next few minutes.

"Don't worry about the hangover, we'll have all day tomorrow to get over it. We still got a few more days of killing time before we ship back out." Shepard said looking at Ashley.

"Good, I need a couple extra days to recuperate."

"Don't worry you'll get the rest, I'll make sure of it." Shepard said kissing her on the forehead.

"I love you Shepard." Ash said

"I love you too, Ashley." Shepard as the two hugged and kissed and within seconds both were sound asleep from the long and exhausting day. But just think it could be worse.


End file.
